


Broken Spirits

by duality_of_toad



Category: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Body Horror, Eventual Romance, Everyone Needs A Hug, F/F, M/M, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Selectively Mute Link (Legend of Zelda), Self-Esteem Issues, happy ending? maybe, you'll see ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-31
Updated: 2020-10-27
Packaged: 2021-03-05 23:40:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 14
Words: 50,823
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25623781
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/duality_of_toad/pseuds/duality_of_toad
Summary: "Darkness. That is all Revali knew for what only felt like a second. And then he saw the sky."In which Revali wakes up after being released from Windblight Ganon, alive but barely, with a huge malice-colored scar in the middle of his chest. No time had passed between his fight with the Windblight and waking up with Link standing over him. Or so he thought.As he relearns the world around him while traveling with Link, he learns more about what happened during the hundred years he was gone and his own demons, as well as the other champions'.
Relationships: Link/Revali (Legend of Zelda), Mipha/Zelda (Legend of Zelda)
Comments: 111
Kudos: 694





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Whew! Okay, this is my first fanfic ever on here. I'm super nervous since this is my first fic I've written in forever, so I hope everyone likes it ;-;

Darkness. That is all Revali knew for what only felt like a second. And then he saw the sky. 

His whole body ached. Well, perhaps ache was not the right word. Every muscle in his body felt like it was on fire. He wanted to sit up but his body refused to listen to him. He let out a weak groan. He felt a shiver run down his spine. He then realized he barely had clothes on, for what was on his was torn pieces of cloth hanging loose from his body. He heard footsteps on stone. 

Link. 

Link was the one who came into his view, blocking the sun that was in his eyes. He had no idea where he was or how Link was there. He was supposed to be in Hyrule Castle as of this moment. Why was he here? 

Medoh. 

They were on Vah Medoh. 

_ How _ was Link here? 

His mind was running with questions as Link scooped him up from the ground so easily. He felt light. Link’s face was in shock, that was clear enough. His bright blue eyes searched Revali’s as he held him. Revali’s chest tightened as he stared up at the swordsman. What was going on? 

All of a sudden, the air around them started to shine as specks of light surrounded them. Revali opened his beak to protest but as soon as he managed to get a groan out, they were...somewhere else. He turned his head to see a small village. He saw a Rito approach Link and stop to stare at them. 

“Help.” he heard Link say. It was hoarse, but it shook with fear. Why was he afraid? But too many questions were racing, and he was feeling tired. He felt himself drift to sleep in Link’s arms. 

\---- 

Revali shot awake and almost fell out of the bed he was in. He cried out of pain as he sat up too quickly for his body. He heard a loud gasp and turned to see a Rito standing behind a desk, looking terrified. 

“Where am I?” Revali demanded, but the woman seemed too startled to answer. His cry summoned another Rito and Link to him. The tall white avian froze when they made eye contact, but Link came in to stand by his bed. Link crouched down to his height and put a gentle hand on his shoulder, his eyebrows furrowed. 

His breathing slowed as Link attempted to calm him down by slowing his own breathing to teach Revali what to do. In...out...in...out...okay. He was okay. The panic subsided for the moment, his chest feeling lighter sitting below the surface as he analyzed his surroundings. He was in a small room, the crescent moon sign above the doorway indicated this was an inn. Besides Link, two Ritos surrounded him. Of course, he had to be in the village. But something felt different about the air. It did not feel like the same Rito Village he had left to board Vah Medoh. It felt claustrophobic. 

The confusion and panic must have been clear as day on his face, for Link squeezed his shoulders once again. Revali took a deep breath, then looked into Link's eyes. His suffocatingly blue eyes were filled with worry, even if his face itself was stoic. Revali's eyebrows immediately started to wrinkle and he shrugged Link's hand off his shoulder. He missed the sensation. But he did not need pity. He just needed answers. 

"Where am I?" he asked again, making sure his voice boomed with authority. Link stared at him blankly, emotions no longer clear. That was when the tall white Rito stepped forward. 

"You are in Rito Village, in the Tabantha region. And who might you be? I've never seen you in my life." he spoke with a deep voice, matching Revali's tone. Revali could already tell he would not like this avian. He straightened his back the best he could, though the adrenaline had worn off so every movement he made caused shooting pain. He ignored it as he spoke. 

"I should be asking you the same question. I am Revali, the champion of the Ritos and the pilot of Vah Medoh." 

The Rito blinked once, and then let out a short bitter laugh. "Yeah, and I'm the Goron chief. Seriously, who are you?" Revali felt his blood boil as his face scrunched in rage. He was about to shout when Link turned to look at the white Rito and nodded. The Rito's eyes widened before looking back at Revali, his face turning apologetic. 

"But...but it is not possible! Master Revali died a hundred years ago with the rest of the champions. Champion descendant, how do you know this is the real Rito champion?" 

Wait. A hundred years ago. No. That could not possibly be right. He had flown to Medoh the day before, had he not? That was where he...he was... 

The memories were coming back to him as the world around him started to spin. 

A hundred years. 

It had been a hundred years. 

He had been shot down by that brute created by Ganon. 

A hundred years. Malice filled his bloodstream as he laid there helpless inside the Divine Beast. 

How...how long had he been up inside of Medoh?! It had been only an hour, right? 

Right? 

His eyes were wide with panic once again, but he did not want to rely on the Hylian champion anymore. As shaky as his breathing was, he turned away from Link and the Rito. 

"Please. I wish to be alone." The request was stern, however, it came out an octave higher than he had intended. But his wish was respected as he heard footsteps leaving the inn. 

Revali did not sleep that night.

\--- 

For the past couple of days, Revali had to relearn the world around him. He had lost a hundred years of his life, trapped in the oozing void of Malice. He couldn’t describe the past a hundred years, for it barely felt like any time passed at all. He felt himself die -- the memory of the traumatizing event coming back to him in bits and pieces -- before the world went black and deep purple. Before waking up on the ground of Medoh with Link standing over him. He was confused and angry at himself. He let himself get defeated by Ganon’s monster, only to be rescued by the same person he despised. Maybe...despised would be the wrong word. But Revali’s pride stopped him from thinking about what it could be for too long, for then he would have to admit he appreciated Link’s presence. No. That would be wrong. He only appreciated the man as much as he needed to, for who else could relate to being thrown into the future suddenly. That was it. Nothing more and nothing less. 

When Link and the tall white Rito came for him in the morning, he was sent to get medical help immediately. His instinct was to redirect Vah Medoh to fight Ganon, but the Ritos (and Link) would have nothing to do with it. Even when the adrenaline kicked in and he had tried to make a run for it to take off. He was caught, for his pathetic limp slowed him. After that, they had decided to bring the medical help to Revali to avoid another escape. 

So now there he was, laying in the makeshift infirmary that had taken up the inn, feeling pathetic and useless. Vah Medoh still flew over the village but he had been informed that the Divine Beast had yet to shoot down any Rito who flew near it. It had truly been appeased when Revali had been, well...released. But he knew there was unfinished business to attend to. From his bed, he could see The Calamity circling Hyrule Castle, its malice filling the air around it in a dark, ominous liquid. He almost shuttered, but he stopped himself. He did not fear this beast, as much as his chest tightening by the sight said otherwise. He could not be bested by— 

His thoughts were interrupted with Link entering the infirmary, the flimsy wood creaking under his weight. Revali ignored him as he came to sit by his bed. They sat like that for what felt like years before Revali could feel his frustration growing. 

“Why are you here when you could be fighting Ganon? Isn’t that what you’re known for, great champion.” He spat at Link, his eyebrows furrowed. Link blinked at him and then shook his head. That was when Revali noticed that Link lacked his prophetic sword, in its place was a weak sword that looked like it was on its last life. The Hylian glanced behind him at where Revali was staring, then unsheathed the sword. It was...underwhelming to say the least. It looked as if it had belonged to merely a traveler. It was no "sword that seals the darkness". Revali looked at him. 

"Is this some type of joke? Because you do not see me laughing." Link shook his head. His face copied Revali's intense expression, but his eyes reflected the fear the avian had. They both knew what that meant for Hyrule if Link did not have his sword. 

"What happened to you? To Hyrule? Did we...truly fail?" Link looked down at his hands in his lap, then pointed at the castle. Revali felt his eyebrows furrowed in confusion, then stared at Link. 

“Tell me what happened.” 

With Link’s very limited memory, he retold what had happened. The Shrine of Resurrection. Princess Zelda saved him while he barely hung onto life. How the kingdom of Hyrule fell overnight. While he spoke, Link explained as if he were just another traveler going off rumors and stories he had come across while traveling. Revali supposed it wasn’t too far off. He felt that the man in front of him was not the same Link, yet his courage and personality still stood. But he lacked...something. Revali could not quite put his feather on it. Link recalled regaining his memories a bit, but a few were still missing. Perhaps that was what it was. But it could not explain the disappointment Revali felt deep inside of him. What was with him today? 

Revali sighed then gazed at the castle. 

“This monster has been terrorizing Hyrule for a hundred years while we were...all supposedly dead,” he mumbled the last part but shook his head as he started to sit up more. “Then we have no time to lose, I need to get up to Med— urk!” He held his wing up to his chest, and he looked down. He had been ignoring the inevitable, but he finally took a good look at the scar on his bare chest. 

It looked horrendous. It was a blast wound, presumably from when the blight had shot him down. It stained his chest with malice as if the same material sat idly inside the scar, ready to release at any moment. Though it hurts now and then, it did not seem to be open, however. The medics had concluded that it had sealed up while he was trapped inside Ganon’s monster. His face scrunched into a grimace, internally cursing the blight for leaving such an obvious reminder of his failure. He almost wished he had stayed dead instead of living with this. 

Almost. 

While he had been staring at his chest, Link had been reaching out to him. Revali shot him a glare when he noticed Link’s hand inches away from his chest. The Hylian immediately recoiled and looked down once again, squeezing his hands. 

“There’s no need to acknowledge this....thing. Maybe if you had done a better job with Ganon, we wouldn’t be in this—“ 

He cut himself off when he saw Link staring at him, his thoughts clear on his face for once. 

Oh. 

That is guilt. 

Damn this Hylian, making Revali feel guilty for his anger. He chose now to learn how to properly express his emotions. He looked away from Link and stuttered as he started. 

“N-Never mind what I said...you— you did all you could.” Though it did not feel sincere, that’s what left his beak. And looking back at the Hylian to see his face ease up a bit told Revali that it worked somewhat. Goddesses, what will he do with this man? 

He looked down at his chest once more, feeling a twinge of insecurity before sighing. “I need new clothes.” 

\----- 

Frustration was what kept him from falling into a depressive state. He had healed enough to be able to walk around the village, but when he attempted to fly away, he was stopped by the other Ritos. He often started cursing them as he limped away from them. He hated the way they looked at him. Sometimes it was in awe, which was more than fine to temporarily put him in a good mood, and other times it was pitiful. He did not want their pity. He did not become champion to be looked down upon. 

He spent most of his time on what the villagers have now named Revali’s Landing. A memorial for him, they said, to remember the horrible event a hundred years ago. Because of course, it is. He realized that he shouldn’t be too bitter against the villagers, for he had been dead in their eyes. But yet enough reminder for him to be angry at himself was all he needed to accidentally take it out on others. He just wished that his body would recover enough so that he could return to Medoh. It was all he had to one-up Link before this whole thing, and now he couldn’t even reach it. Some champion he was. 

Link visited often to sit with him. He could not go a couple of moments without sensing the presence of the Hylian. Though, for once, he did have to admit he appreciated the silence of the knight instead of the constant worry. It was a nice change of pace. 

He had just limped his way to the landing when he felt a presence behind him. He smirked before hiding it as he turned to face Link. 

“Ah Link, yet another visit I see--” 

It was not Link for once. 

Instead, it was a small Rito child. They stood there fidgeting with feathers, their feet shifting weight from one to the other. Revali raised an eyebrow. This was the first time a child had visited him. He cleared his throat to show that the child has been acknowledged and the child squawked. He bit back a chuckle. 

“Are-- Are-- Are you really the Rito Champion Revali?” the child stuttered out. This time Revali did chuckle. 

“The one and only,” he said. The child gasped as they ran forward to sit next to him. He smiled softly. He couldn’t help himself. 

“My name is Tulin! My dad’s name is Teba, he’s a Rito warrior just like you! We have only heard stories about you but to meet the real thing is-- is-- amazing!” the child, Tulin, gushed. “My dad said, he wanted to become a warrior so he could be just as great as you, and that’s what I want to do too! You’re just so so so cool, Master Revali!” 

Revali hummed pridefully, he appreciated to once again be looked up to by a Rito child. It helped his frustration ease up a bit. He felt he needed this after having such a rough welcome. 

“Why, you flatter me, young one.” He made sure to put his wing over his chest, almost to pretend to be wounded by Tulin’s words. The child’s eyes were round with excitement as he stared at Revali. He seemed to be expecting something, though the champion did not know what. After a few awkward minutes of silence created by Tulin staring at him, the child gasped and stood up. 

“I’ll be right back! Don’t go anywhere!” he yelled and he ran off down the stairs. He laughed inwardly, though he was confused. Within minutes, Tulin returned with a small group of more Rito children who made a circle around Revali. 

“I told you he was the real deal, you guys owe me!” Tulin proudly exclaimed as one of the other children groaned. The rest were laughing in glee as they surrounded him, whispering ‘oohs’ and ‘ahhs’ as they examined him. Revali felt a bit nervous as they watched him, but he refused to show this outwardly. Eventually, all the children sat down in a neat circle around him once again and waited. His eyes glanced around at his audience before Tulin started. 

“Do you have any stories?” 

Revali blinked, once, twice, and then smiled. “Why, of course. What would you like to hear?” 

He started with something simple, like the archery competitions he had won. He spoke of how he requested the Flight Range to be built to practice his skills, at which the youngest of the group exclaimed how she wanted to be able to go there but she was too young. He told them of the princess and Vah Medoh, and Hyrule a hundred years ago. He made sure to add grandeur to the parts with him in it. He may look beat up right now, but he was not about to tell a small group of children about how he broke his wing when he stubbornly refused to stop practicing Revali's Gale. Between stories, the children finally decided to introduce themselves. Cree, Kotts, Molli...so many names. It was hard to keep up. But he decided he would take the time to learn their names as he spent his time in the village, knowing he would be there for a bit longer. 

Teba, the Rito warrior he had met his first day during his outburst in the inn, had decided that tomorrow they would see if Revali could fly his way to the Flight Range. If he could, he was to train to gain his strength back in his wings until he was fit enough to fly up to Medoh. He hated to admit it, but the thought of flying made him apprehensive. One of his first attempts, albeit being out of anger, caused him to nearly fall into the cavern before. If not for Teba catching him, well...he would have preferred dying a “champion’s death” rather than falling to his death. Nothing a second or third attempt would fix, he had thought. Because of this, he was forced to have someone keep watch of him for the first couple of weeks so he wouldn’t storm off. He was determined to sneak away for a fourth try but when Link was the one who found him at the landing, that was when he was embarrassed enough to stay put. He did not want Link to watch him plummet to his doom. He did not know if it was because he cared for Link’s reaction to seeing him die or for the sake of his pride. He preferred to think it was his pride, but he did not want to find out. 

While Revali continued to tell tales of the battles and trials he faced a hundred years ago to the small group of children who had formed a circle around him, he had not noticed another joining them. He glanced over to see the newcomer, Link, standing there watching them silently with his hands on his hips. His face was aloof but focused as if he was listening in on Revali’s stories as well. He tried not to scoff at him, but the urging of a child telling him to finish telling his heroic adventure of how he overcame the trials to master Vah Medoh pushed him to continue. Once he had finished, he told the children that he and Link had something to discuss. 

“Aww, but I gotta hear more!” one whined, before yawning. Revali chuckled as he patted the child’s head. 

“What you need to do right now is get some sleep, Rito warriors need plenty of rest to grow up strong,” Revali stated to his audience. At that note, the children started to disperse back to their homes, continuing their versions of Revali’s stories. He smiled before his face turned sharp to look at Link. 

“It’s late,” he said, “you should be getting rest too.” His voice dripped with sarcasm, hoping to hide the concern in his voice as the warrior came to sit next to him. He sat hunched over, his legs dangling over the landing’s edge. They were silent for what felt like an hour before Link pulled at his sleeve. He pointed to Revali's chest with a concerned look on his face. Revali let out a bitter laugh. 

“A hundred years and all you learned how to do is small talk? Please spare me.” He snarked. He let a smile slip as he looked over at Link, who was getting flustered. Revali let out a laugh. “I see you also learned how to emote properly. Color me impressed.” He continued to laugh at the Hylian’s reactions, his hands frantically trying to explain faster than Revali could keep up, let alone understand since he did not know much sign language and-- was Link blushing? No. No, it was cold for a mere Hylian, his cheeks must have become rosy from the climb up the mountain. Revali decided to change the subject before he over thought it too much. 

“Once it is suitable for me to travel, where shall we go next?” Revali asked and Link shot him a look. “Oh come now, do you expect me to sit around here inside Vah Medoh while you go running around Hyrule like a lunatic? I refuse to be but a sidekick this time, take my word for it.” 

Link stared at him before he nodded, bringing out his Sheikah Slate. Most of the map had been filled in, in which Revali pointed this out to him. Seriously, how long has Link been awake, let alone procrastinating finding the Divine Beasts? Goddesses help them. He would  _ definitely _ be using this to poke fun at the Hylian later. 

“The closest Divine Beast would seem to be Vah Naboris,” Revali started, “however, from the looks of your condition, you seem barely fit enough to make the journey across the desert to Gerudo Town. Let alone anywhere by yourself. With the state of that pathetic sword, I'm surprised you managed to make it to Vah Medoh.” At that Link put his hand behind his head and let out a soft laugh. Guilty, of course. Revali sighed. “Then the only place that would not have extreme weather conditions would be--” He pointed at the Lanayru region, “there. The Zora Domain.” He smirked at Link. 

“Shall we pay our old friend Mipha a visit?”

Link's face was etched with confusion, before making an "oh" shape with his mouth. Revali did not have the patience to unpack what that reaction meant. Instead, he gave Link a curt nod. 

"Then that will be our next destination, but for now--" Revali struggled to stand. Link held out a hand to him, but Revali brushed him off. "I need to rest. Goodnight."

He limped his way back to the inn, where he laid awake for another hour. All he had to do was pass the flight test tomorrow.

He needed to.

And while he tried to convince himself that everything would be fine, the small sense of self-doubt consumed him. He finally fell asleep to his heart pounding in his chest, and a dull burning from his scar. 


	2. Chapter 2

It felt like seconds had only passed. In one moment, he had boarded Medoh and was ready to connect to it. The next, Revali lay on the ground of the Divine Beast, coughing up blood. He smelled singed feathers and iron in the air around him. He struggled to sit up, as blood rushed up to his throat as he continued to cough. He felt helpless. His clothing had been burned away, leaving him with rags that were covered with embers on the verge of relighting from the smallest flame. Spots on his body throbbed from the tiny flames peppered all over, while other places were...numb. He tried to glance down but what little he saw made him want to vomit. Burns covered his exposed chest, the feathers burned away to show skin charred black from the blast. His head fell back as he laid there, unable to move. He couldn’t feel his legs. He couldn’t feel his wings. He couldn’t feel his chest. He was going to die. He knew that much. His fake arrogance couldn’t save him from this situation. All he could do was hope his SOS call rang through in time to warn the others. 

As he watched the sky above him, the Windblight monster came into his view slowly. It stared at him, its head twitching ever so slightly before making its way close to him. He wanted to crawl away, scream, anything, but all he could do is lay there as the creature grabbed his body, the malice filling his veins. He let out a soft whimper as it absorbed him, the sensation burning every inch of his body, drowning out the numbness. He felt something physically malicious stir inside of him as it consumed him. He gasped and everything had turned black and red. He drowned into the void, screaming in pain, screaming in fear, but he couldn’t do anything but accept his fate. 

His body shot awake, sitting up fast and giving himself slight whiplash. He was hyperventilating. The world around him was spinning as he frantically searched the room for answers. Where was he-- This wasn’t Medoh-- The malice--

A gentle hand came to his shoulder. He flinched. Whipping his head over to the source, it took all of his willpower not to attack the source of the touch. It was Link, sitting up in his own bed leaning over to him. What-- What was--

Right. 

He was in the village, in the infirmary. His chest pulsed in pain but it was nothing compared to how he had felt while trapped inside the nightmare. As he came to his senses, he remembered the night before. Link had told him he would be staying the night in Rito Village with him, to help him during his test flight at the Flight Range the next day. Revali had rejected the idea but Link was persistent. On any other occasion, he would have stood his ground until their argument lasted a whole year, but he didn’t feel like arguing with the Hylian more than he needed to right now. He was too tired from the stress he caused himself over the flight test but did not want to admit his fear verbally for his persona didn’t call for relieving stress by confiding in others. But either way, he was ready to leave the village. He just needed to get up to Medoh and land it to finally move to rescue the next champion, Mipha. But--

His mind continued to race until Link squeezed his shoulder. His face was aloof as it always was, but his eyes were filled with such emotion Revali had never noticed before. Link tried to sign before stopping. He then nodded at Revali, then pointed to himself. 

“What are you trying to say to me?” Revali’s voice was groggy but he could not resist taunting the Hylian. Link’s face flashed with frustration before he started to clear his throat. He opened and closed his mouth a couple of times before he was able to spit it out. 

“Nightmares” was all he said. Revali struggled to reveal the shocked look on his face. He had barely spoken to anyone outside of Princess Zelda and Mipha. It came out as a hoarse whisper as if he had not spoken in years. Perhaps that was not too far off, from the looks of their situation. Revali nodded slowly and he looked out the window of his room. A soft storm had picked up sometime during the night, rain flicking onto his face gently every so often. He didn’t mind. It helped him ground himself with reality more. He turned back to Link, his eyes narrowed.

“Yes, well...These only recently became more frequent. As my body heals the more it is made clear my mind has not. Though I suppose that will take longer than physical wounds, of course. Pathetic, is it not?” Revali let out a bitter chuckle. His mind was still in a bit of a haze. Even now he felt his throat tighten as he remembered the sensation of his nightmare, he almost instinctively coughed expecting blood. 

Or malice. 

His wing came to his chest, no longer bare. The Ritos had been kind enough to provide him a new outfit to wear. It wasn’t his old champion outfit but it was something, and he was glad that no one could casually see his charcoal-colored scar. However, he felt it pulse a bit at the recall of the memory. Perhaps it was his imagination, but he felt something...crawling underneath. He shivered, as just like that it was gone. 

He looked into Link’s eyes and saw that they were sympathetic. He gave Revali a small smile. Link squeezed his shoulder gently as he looked into the Rito’s emerald eyes. Revali wanted to snap at the Hylian. He did not want to feel pity from this idiotic man. But the warmth he felt in his chest prevented him from doing so. This man was different from the Link before, he could see it more clearly at this moment. His emotions were exposed, anyone could have read him like a book. But Revali did not want to think too much on the matter, so he shrugged Link’s hand off, ruining the tender moment. He turned over to go back to sleep. 

“I’m going back to sleep,” he mumbled. He heard a sigh from behind him. A shift. And silence. It took a while before Revali truly fell asleep.

\-----

The avian stood at the aerial dock he shared the name with. His eyes were fixed on the Flight Range that was far in the distance. He swallowed hard. There was no room for self-doubt, yet that was all there was running through his head. As he thought about every scenario where this test could go wrong, his chest burned. He hissed under his breath and it subsided. Fantastic, now he physically reacted to anxiety through his scar as well. That was the last thing he needed.

From behind him, he heard footsteps approach him. He hoped it was not any the kids, who had self-proclaimed themselves as his miniature fan club. He purposely planned this exam to be early in the morning, too early for them to be awake to watch him plummet to his doom. But when he glanced over his shoulder, it was only Link. He was holding two plates of what looked like breakfast. He had a huge obnoxious smile on his face that made Revali’s chest tighten but his face grimace. 

“I suppose one of those belongs to me unless you are still that much of a glutton you were a hundred years ago.” Revali sneered, though he took the plate fast to prevent Link from seeing his wings shake. It was a small serving of meat and seafood stirfry cooked with spicy peppers on the side. The smell from the pepper alone made him feel warm and fuzzy. He appreciated the Hylian for being observant enough to consider the weather conditions. Even if the Rito didn’t technically need it, his thick coat of royal blue feathers providing cold protection on their own. Revali felt his stomach grumble in protest as he continued to stare at the food. He had not realized how hungry he was, despite being scared out of his feathers. 

Link must have heard his stomach grumble, for he let out a small laugh. Revali glared at him as he sat down on the landing. He took his time, counting to ten for every bite he took, hoping it delayed the inevitable. But next to him, he could hear Link scarfing down his own serving. He looked over to see Link’s cheeks stuffed with food, the huge obnoxious smile still stuck on his face. It was almost disgusting if the avian did not find it adorable in an odd sort of way. Goddesses help him. 

When they had both finished, Teba approached them carrying two bows, one in each wing. He tossed one over Revali’s shoulders and he scrambled to catch it, almost dropping it off the ledge. Link let out a quiet laugh and he groaned, embarrassed but when he saw the bow he was tossed, he froze. 

It was his bow. The Great Eagle Bow. He had left it in Rito Village the day him and the other champions had waited at Mount Lanayru for Zelda. The day the Calamity struck. It hadn’t even crossed his mind to ask what became of it during the hundred years he was trapped aboard Medoh. He presumed it had been lost through the years, either destroyed or burned when the village was attacked. He held the grip of the bow, and sure enough, it felt the same, fitting perfectly into his wing. It was crafted specifically for him in mind, and it had been his partner during many archery competitions and battles. He looked up at Teba speechless, and the white Rito let out a low chuckle.

“It’s the original all right. It’s been a treasured relic to us Ritos for the past hundred years, passed down through all generations. Kaneli and the elders before him thought no one else should wield it besides Champion Revali himself, and well,” he paused, then smiled, “I think it’s time to return it to its rightful owner.”

Revali gave him a small smile and nodded. “I appreciate it.”

Teba nodded back at him, “It’s almost time for your test flight, are you ready?”

Goddesses no. “Of course, what do you take me for?”

He stood up and took one more glance over to the Flight Range. Link came to stand next to him and smiled up at him. That made Revali’s eye twitch in annoyance but he shook it off. Teba came to stand on his left and pointed to a large rock structure that stood between the Flight Range and the village. 

“We’ll start by heading to that structure. Then we can head over to the Flight Range. After that, we will have you train your strength using the winds there. Got that?” Teba instructed. Revali nodded. “Right, then I’ll go first.”

At that, Teba took a running start and took off. His flight was more of a gentle glide over to the structure. As he landed, he turned and waved at the two. Revali looked to Link and his companion nodded. Revali backed up and took a deep breath. He was attempted to attempt Revali’s Gale but was scared of looking like a fool in front of these two. He decided to copy Teba’s gentle glide as he started to run. He spread his wings and held onto the form as he jumped. His wings had healed greatly, for they no longer stung when he spread them. He refused to look down as the natural breeze around Rito Village carried him over the cavern as Teba’s silhouette grew larger until he was safe to land. He sent Teba a smug smile as if to say “I told you so”. 

“Way to go, champion,” Teba said then gave him a light pat on the back. He chuckled, and soon enough Link had caught up to them with his paraglider. 

“On to the Flight Range.” Teba took off. That was when Revali realized that the distance between the rock structure they stood on and the Flight Range had an even larger gap between them compared to the landing. He felt dizzy standing at the ledge and gulped. A hand came to his back and he jumped. It was just Link, but the hand had interrupted his self deprecating thoughts. Though...he relaxed. He was too nervous to make a verbal taunt towards the Hylian but instead, he sneered. He decided to take off before he lingered too much into the touch. He glided slowly over, his wing twitching a bit in the breeze. He tried not to think too much about it, and before long he could feel the soft snow of Hebra Mountain crunch under his talons. He let out a nervous laugh as the cold chill of the Flight Range hit him, sending a shiver down his spine. Link followed shortly after and his hand once again found a home on Revali’s lower back. He flinched at the touch once again, but let it happen before pulling away. He cleared his throat.

“I knew I could do it, I could have done it sooner if you--” he gestured his wing dramatically to Link and almost purposely hit the Hylian’s face, “had let me try.”

Link rolled his eyes and his hand started a slow rub. Revali glared at him but didn’t move away. The man gave him a smug look in return. Damn this Hylian. Damn himself for enjoying it. Damn-- 

Teba, either oblivious to the glaring tension between the two or choosing to ignore it, gestured for them to make their way up the stairs inside the small hut that sat at the top of the Flight Range. “Come on, it’s warmer inside.”

The next few hours, Teba and Link watched as Revali glided his way around the Flight Range, taking it one step at a time upon Teba’s instructions. He felt himself getting impatient every time he flew passed a target, his bow taunting him from his back, but kept his wingspan spread to gain his strength back first. As he made another lap nearest the hut, he saw Link watching him, his legs dangling off the edge of the platform. He tried to resist the urge to show off, but--

Before taking a second thought, he dove towards the platform. As he landed, he took out his Great Eagle Bow and aimed at three targets, hitting bullseye immediately. 

“I’ve grown tired of gliding, perhaps I should practice my special technique now?” he asked, though it was more of a demand. He could hear Teba standing up to start to protest, but Link smiled back at him. That caused Teba to roll his eyes and plop back down in front of the fire. 

“Fine. But if you get hurt, that’s on you.”

Revali smirked then crouched down. Immediately, he felt the winds build up around him. He looked back at Link and sneered at him before taking off. 

Naturally, the winds he created were far more powerful than the Flight Range’s breeze. He struggled to stay in the eye of the cyclone, his wing getting caught in the current for a moment. It was enough to throw him off course, spinning him aggressively before launching him back towards the Flight Range. He landed headfirst inside a snowdrift. He kicked his lower body but-- of course, he was stuck. It wasn’t long before he was pulled out by Link, who looked concerned. But Revali scoffed at him, embarrassed that he had done that in front of the Hylian. He had to make up for it. 

He crouched and started to pick up the gale again when Teba came over.

“That’s enough for today. You had a good start.” 

His face scrunched in anger, “I can’t stop there! I was so close--”

“You were close to injuring yourself again.” Teba cut him off, then sighed. “We should go back to the village now.” 

Revali turned his back to them, “No. You can go. I’m not leaving until I can achieve this. I’m just a bit rusty, is all. Give me the night and I'll have perfected it by the morning.”

Revali noticed that Teba no longer tried to argue with anything he did or said, for he just sighed once again. He heard him mumbling and Link came to stand next to him. He cringed. 

“I don’t need an audience.” He scowled. But from the way the man didn’t even flinch, there was no use arguing. Instead, he made his way back up the hill to the hut. 

Link and he sat silently by the fire, and it wasn’t long before Link started to cook lunch. Or was it dinner? The avian had no idea how long they had been here. The heavy snow clouds surrounding the mountain covered the sun. The quiet moment brought back memories from a hundred years ago as he watched the Hylain cook a slab of prime meat and rice. 

_It had been a day after Revali accepted becoming the master of Vah Medoh, after stubbornly leading the princess on for far too long. He knew she had taken up residence in the village overnight, but he was not in the mood to sit around and talk politics and the inevitable doomsday. Instead, he sat around the fire in the Flight Range, quill in wing as he wrote down his newest muse in his diary. He had lived in this region all of his life and he still discovered new beauties of Hyrule. He had flown up to a cedar tree that stood alone on a cliff in the Hebra Mountains when he noticed that the snowfield of Baron Snowshelf formed a white bird. The sight was breathtaking and he was in awe remembering it as he drew it from memory, leaving tiny notes of his journey up the mountain. He had not noticed footsteps approach him as he wrote until he noticed a man in his peripheral vision. He squawked in fear, immediately hiding his journal and arming himself with his bow._

_“Oh, it’s you.”_

_The knight stood there with a blank expression. He glanced around the small hut and took a seat in front of the fire. Revali scowled at him._

_“Don’t you have a princess to be stalking?” He groaned. The knight glanced over to the village then back at Revali to shrug. “Oh, you’re deciding to give her some privacy now? I’ll be plucked.”_

_It came to his attention that he had neglected to learn the knight’s name. He did not want to sound like he cared, however the thought of not knowing his rival’s name bugged him._

_“I expected you to introduce yourself properly now that we are meeting face to face,” Revali said. The man stared at back at him, his face showing no signs of thinking. Then he glanced again around the room, noticing Revali’s diary tucked away in his wings. He pointed at it. Revali almost protested before the man started making the gesture of writing. The avian was confused but handed him the journal and quill, making sure to mark his spot with the day’s discovery. The knight silently wrote before holding up Revali’s journal._

_Link. That was the name of the man who was destined to seal the darkness._

_“Well,_ Link _,” Revali spat out, “you interrupted my resting time, so if you’d be so kind to--” he was interrupted with the sound of pages turning and scribbling. His head spun quickly in the direction of Link to see him flipping through his journal. He immediately snatched it back from the man, his next words coming out more of a hiss._

_“You insolent Hylians, always selfish--” he cut himself off when he saw what the man had scribbled next to his drawings._

_‘These are beautiful’ it said in sloppy handwriting that Revali could barely make out. However, it made his heart skip a beat. This ill-mattered Hylian -- who he hated to admit was incredibly handsome -- saw his private drawings and liked them. He wanted to be angry that Link had done it without his permission, but his heart pounding in his chest said otherwise. If anything, he was more embarrassed._

_He had not realized that he had been silent for far too long because when he looked up, the man was fidgeting nervously with his hands. He did not meet Revali’s gaze. The avian sighed._

_“You should know better than to go through people’s journals, but I must thank you for the kind words I guess” was all he had to say. And the man gave him a small shy smile._

Revali did not know how long he had been reminiscing until a plate of fried rice was shoved into his wings. He sent a glare at Link who was already shoveling food into his mouth. He had made sure to make himself at least two servings while knowing Revali only needed one. He shook his head before he started to eat. 

Surprising no one, he finished after Link while the sun had made its way out of the clouds and below the mountains. The Hylian had tucked himself into the corner and the Rito watched as his eyes fluttered close. He watched the man for a little bit before standing up, walking out to the landing once more. He felt better practicing now that Link was too tired to watch. At that, he summoned his gale and took off. 

\-----

Revali “accidentally” woke up Link by using bomb arrows to shoot down targets. He flew swiftly around the Flight Range, seeing Link (admittedly way too unfazed by bombs going off early in the morning) groggily walking to the platform to watch. The sight of Revali flying must have startled him awake because soon enough his eyes were wide in awe. The avian smirked as he watched before aiming at another three targets, hitting the bullseyes immediately. He let himself land briefly only to launch himself back into the air, higher than before. He could have easily flown up to Medoh, but first, he wanted to show off his hard work. He finally landed and his wings stung a bit from the strain. He ignored as he stood in front of Link, his gale causing the Hylian’s hair to spastically blow around him. 

“I think it’s high time that I fly us to Medoh.”

\-----

Being inside the Divine Beast felt like Revali had been transported back a hundred years once again. If anything, there were a few differences, such as small leftover gears and monster parts, but other than that it seemed to be back in their control. He supposed there was not much to do about the small messes until he noticed his former “passenger” gathering them up. For the love of Din, who let the prophetic man be this feral? He shook his head and made his way to the main control unit.

The unit glowed with an electric blue as he placed his wing over the controls. Immediately, he heard the beast cry out as it connected to him once again. He smirked. 

“I guess it’s been a long time, hasn’t it, Medoh?” he mumbled under his breath. He extended his wingspan and tilted the beast. It followed his orders as it flew towards the tallest perch above Rito Village. As it landed, he focused on its aim at Hyrule Castle as its powerful charge beam prepared to fire. The entire ancient beast creaked and shook as the bright red shot through the air, landing on its target. Revali nodded, feeling accomplished for the first time in forever. 

“Medoh’s sights are now set,” he stated, turning to face Link. He had a smug smile on his face as he disconnected his wings from Medoh, the control unit making a powering down noise behind him. “We have a clear shot from this vantage point. Once we have rescued the rest of the champions, we will finally have an advantage over the Calamity. This time,” he hesitated. He looked down at his chest, putting a wing over his heart. It was throbbing again. He took a heavy breath before straightening his shoulders, “this time, things will be different.”

After flying back to the village from Medoh, he spoke with Teba and the chieftain, Kaneli. They both confirmed that it would be safe for Revali to journey with Link to rescue the other champions, but would send for him immediately if anything with Medoh led astray. He nodded, reassuring that he would return as quickly as possible if that were to happen. They then relieved him to pack. 

Revali was lucky he didn’t have much to pack for their journey. He had his bow, some lighter clothing when they were out of the mountains, what else? 

He glanced around reciting everything when he clicked his tongue, reaching for the journal on his temporary nightstand. He had grabbed it the night they were at the Flight Range, oddly enough being in the same spot he had tucked it away in a drawer a hundred years ago. Time had decayed the material a bit, the pages yellowed and the leather cover almost falling apart but it would keep him company for the time being. At least until he was able to get his wings on a new one. He tucked it carefully in his bag before swinging it over his shoulder, pacing around the room as he waited for Link. It wasn’t long before he appeared, already changed into lighter clothing for the trip. He nodded at the Rito and they headed out of the village. Revali heard tiny patters of feet hitting wood and he turned around to see Tulin running to meet them. The tiny chick and gripped onto his legs begging him not to go. He smiled at him and then crouched to his level.

“It’s about time I do my part in taking back Hyrule,” he patted Tulin’s head as the small chick sniffled, “I’m counting on you to look after the village in my stead with your father. Do you understand?”

Tulin nodded and saluted him, running away before Revali could see him crying. 

Revali took one last glance at the tiny village and Medoh. He felt a small pang of nostalgia in his chest saying goodbye to his village once again after finally being home, but he would return one day. And with his confidence, he followed Link down the trail.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> edit: omg ;; i realized i forgot to italize the flashback! i edited that scene to make it more clear


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Revali and Link make a quick detour to visit an old friend

There were certain mannerisms of Link that Revali learned the more they traveled together. For one, for every monster they fought, the Hylian would collect the parts they left over. It disgusted the Rito to no end, but once he saw Link making an elixir out of it that healed Revali’s wounds from their fight with a gang of Bokoblins, he decided not to question it anymore. 

Additionally, he learned that Link barely slept. When they had first stopped at the side of the trail to set up camp, Link volunteered to take the first watch. Revali protested but it was not because he was concerned for his companion’s wellbeing of course, but because he knew he could handle the trifling Stal that lurked during the night. But Link would have none of it, shaking his head when the Rito suggested otherwise and Revali drifted to sleep. However, Link had let him sleep through the night. The blonde stood with his back turned to Revali and his hands on his hips. He stood still as a statue and when Revali approached him, he did not flinch. Instead, he merely glanced up at the avian and sent him a soft smile. Revali disapproved, refusing to continue their journey unless he could take watch next. Link shrugged it off and they moved on. 

The next time they made camp, Link stayed up sitting next to Revali the whole night as the Rito watched their surroundings with his bow at the ready. He had to shoo the Hylian away, insisting he was breaking the avian’s concentration. He refused to budge, but sometime during the night exhaustion took over and he fell asleep on Revali’s shoulder. He froze when the Hylian’s head collided with his shoulder, his heart pounding in his chest. Link’s body involuntarily shivered in his sleep from the cold nighttime air. The Rito sighed before extending his wing over Link’s body like a makeshift blanket, shielding him from the wind. He stopped shivering under the warm wing. 

Sitting alone with his thoughts, Revali remembered their, well, “talk” the night Revali had his first intense nightmare. Perhaps that is why the Hylian doesn’t sleep, the act of staying awake being the only solution to his demons. Revali did not want to initiate that conversation however, so he decided to “ignore” it until it became a problem with Link’s performance. Then, he would force the Hylian to sleep, hoping an exaggerated performance would not expose his true intentions of caring for the man. He looked down at Link. The man’s lips were slightly parted as he slept, a tiny wheeze escaping his nose. This was the most Link had looked at peace. Revali smiled. Perhaps this helped him feel safe.

When Link awoke in the morning to pack up camp, his eyes went wide. Revali assumed it was because of how he had fallen asleep -- the blush on his face almost giving it away when he realized that his blanket had been a wing -- but the man was prodding at his Sheikah Slate frantically.

“Please don’t tell me we forgot something back in the village, I don’t feel like backtracking after we have made it so far.” Revali scolded. Link shook his head and stood up, passing the Sheikah Slate to the Rito. He pointed to a small village called Kakariko that was located inside the Dueling Peaks. Revali frowned. 

“Surely you don’t mean we need to make that trip. We are close to the Lanayru region as is, we don’t need side quests.” 

The Hylian looked up at him glaring. He nodded aggressively as he grabbed his bag and started following the trail headed towards the village. Revali groaned. There was no possibility he would be winning this argument, so he begrudgingly grabbed his bag and followed Link. 

When they arrived at Kakariko Village, Link was welcomed by the children running around the entrance. They all waved and dragged him by the hand, asking repeatedly for him to play with them again now that he had returned. He laughed awkwardly, rubbing a fist on his chest to say ‘sorry’ -- Revali had decided he should perhaps learn sign language, given he would be stuck with this selectively mute Hylian for a long time. He now had a page in his decrypted journal for new signs that Link drew for him -- then he pointed to the largest house in the middle of the small town. The children whined while they made pouty faces up at him. It almost made Revali miss the children of Rito Village, though he did not miss the high pitched whining that made his head ring. He grimaced as he walked ahead to the house and before long he heard Link’s steps next to him. 

As they made their way up the steps of the house, a young woman exited. She jumped, crying out in fear before turning a bright shade of pink in the face. 

“O-Oh! Master Link, good afternoon!” she stuttered out, her face turning a deeper red by the second. She covered her face before noticing there was another presence with Link, which caused her to look up. Her face was as red as a tomato by the time she said anything to Revali. 

“M-M-My a-a-a-apologies, I di-didn’t see y-you--” She continued to stutter before finally giving up, stepping aside with her face in her hands. Revali could feel his eye twitch the more this woman spoke. He felt a sarcastic comment at the tip of his beak when Link silently walked past them and opened the front door. He glanced inside from behind the door to see an elderly woman sitting with her head down. 

“I see you’re giving Paya a hard time once again,” she laughed before looking up at Link to smile, “It’s always nice to see you visit, Link.” 

Link entered the house, dragging Revali behind him by his wing who was still behind the door. The avian scoffed at him as he glared down at the Hylian. 

“I can walk by myself, you know!” he snapped, pulling his wing back from Link who was snickering quietly. They walked up to the woman and stood within arms’ length of her. His outburst caused the elderly woman to look up with a confused but amused expression before it gradually turned to disbelief. She was frozen as she gawked at Revali before coming to her senses, though the astonishment hung on her face. 

“Champion Revali...is that you?” She spoke in a whisper, unable to believe her eyes. Her small body quivered as she held out her hand to touch him. She let a gentle hand come to his wing, running her fingers through his soft wings. She looked up at him with tears in her eyes, her lower lip shaking. Revali looked down at her unable to move from her gentle grip. He opened his mouth to speak but nothing came out. The two just stared at each other for a long time, before the woman took her hand back. 

“I’m sure you don’t recognize me. I was much younger when you and the other champions had met me,” she paused then smiled, “yet you don’t look a day older from a hundred years ago. I am the formal royal advisor to the King of Hyrule, Impa.” The name stuck out to Revali. He had met her once or twice, maybe more than that. Revali was not on that level of authority even after becoming a champion since she worked from the shadows, for the most part. However, he did remember her. He gave her a smug smile to hide his true feelings. 

“Hmph. I’m surprised no one has recognized me sooner,” Revali said, struggling to keep his cocky persona from faltering. He didn’t realize that he had missed the recognition people had when they saw him. He knew, deep down, it was because it made him feel lonely in this new world. However, he told himself it was because no one recognized his abilities as a champion Of course that was the actual reason. Yes, that was it. 

“It has been a hundred years, champion…” Impa started, shaking her head, “I’m sure Link could tell you about how many times people pegged him as simply a traveler.” 

“I’ve never been a mere traveler,” Revali scoffed, his eyes narrowing. Though he knew he shouldn’t be too upset. It wasn’t anyone’s fault.

But his own. He shook that thought away. 

“Link,” Impa turned to the Hylian, “how is this possible? We thought the champions--”

“--were dead. Yes, I’ve gotten that too many times already. I’m right here, you know.” Revali interrupted, scowling. He was tired of everyone reminding him that he was supposed to be dead. Link rested his hand on the Rito’s arm to calm him before stepping forward. He signed swiftly to Impa. Revali, though he knew the story, could barely keep up with what he was saying. He saw a few words he had recognized but this reminded him that he needed to practice more. Impa nodded along as he signed. Revali took a step back to glance around the room. His eyes fell on the painting on the left wall. 

Decayed Guardians were scattered over an open grassy field. The ruins and mountains stood high in the background. He had a feeling that they had passed this very spot on the way to this village. He stared before glancing back at Impa, who had looked up at him with a quizzical look on her face. He looked forward embarrassed as Link finished his story. 

“I had known the Divine Beasts needed to be freed, but…” she paused, glancing up at Revali once more, “I could not have guessed that a champion had been trapped inside for a hundred years. If I may ask, what did it feel like?”

Terrifying. “It felt like no time had passed when I was released. One moment I was on Medoh surrounded by Malice, the next, well” he looked over at Link, “you know.”

“I see. That is...curious.” Impa said though it felt more like she was speaking to herself, “if you are free that means…”

“The other champions may be freed as well.” Revali finished. “We were on our way to the Zora Domain, however, someone wanted to make a quick stop.”

“Well, whoever that someone is, they have my gratitude then,” Impa joked, patting her knee. Revali could feel Link staring up at him, but he refused to meet his eye. His eye twitched with annoyance. “You two should rest in the inn for the night before heading out to get rest and a nice dinner. It’s never good to journey on an empty stomach.” The elderly woman patted her knee once again before dismissing them to head to the inn. 

\----

Revali could not sleep that night. His scar burned and itched as he tried to get comfortable in the bed. Link had bought both of them soft beds, but surprisingly, the Hylian was the only one who slept. Revali turned his head to see the man fast asleep, his limbs twitching in his sleep every once and awhile. The avian let a small smile slip before being bitter at himself. He gave up on sleeping. He sat up and kicked his legs over the edge of the bed to stand up. A short walk should help him relax. 

When Revali stepped outside, the night breeze hit his face lightly. He took a deep breath and paced down the path away to the center of the town when he froze.

Malice was forming around him in the air. It came from the ground and was floating towards the sky. Revali looked around wildly before looking up. The sky...it was a deep blood red. The clouds were moving through the sky at the speed of light. His eyes went wide as he watched the clouds part to reveal the moon coming into view overhead. It was an ominous crimson color. It moved through the sky haltingly as it peaked. Malice had started to form more and more around him, around the whole village, rapidly increasing in quantity. His chest...burned. He gasped as he fell to his knees panting, clenching his scarf. He could feel his throat closing as he hyperventilated. He wanted to scream but nothing came out as he crouched in the middle of what looked like a ghost town in his limited vision. He stood up, his whole body fighting him. Adrenaline provided him the strength to make a run for it. He entered the closest building to him. 

It was too late to notice that the building he bolted into was not the inn, but Impa’s house. He cursed himself for not noticing that he had run up a whole flight of stairs. How had he even gotten past the guards? He couldn’t recall anyone standing outside. However, he was grateful to be away from that cursed moon. His chest continued to burn and he fell once again as his adrenaline started to drain from his body. He spat and let out a silent scream, curling into a pathetic ball on the floor. He could not do anything to relieve the pain but suddenly-- it stopped. He lifted his head and patted his chest. He was fine. What--

“That was quite the show.” 

He jumped, shooting up from the floor to stand up. Impa was sitting in the same spot they had left her hours ago. Her face was filled with concern and pity. Revali hated it. 

“Of course you had to be awake to see that,” Revali scoffed. He furrowed his eyes at the old woman, who stared back with a neutral expression. She smiled up at him and patted her knee. 

“How could anyone sleep through someone screaming in the middle of their floor,” Impa said matter-of-factly. Revali looked down embarrassed. Right. He was technically intruding. 

“It’s not like I intended to barge in here in the middle of the night!” he hissed, deciding that his fabricated persona would protect him in this situation rather than acknowledging the truth. The elderly woman shook her head.

“You are allowed to let go of the attitude, Revali. No one is around to see the true you.” 

“What do you mean, attitude?” he spat, glaring at her. 

Impa shook her head. “I’ve met many men like you in my time. They run their mouths, insulting anyone attempting to add importance to their actions. They will put on a front to look strong when in reality they have self-doubts clouding their judgments.”

He flinched. He cursed under his breath, looking to the floor. He heard Impa’s hat clink as she spoke next.

“What brings you in here so late in the night, champion?” 

Revali exhaled, noticing he had been holding his breath. He was glad for the change of subject, but he was not ready to feel vulnerable around this old woman he had met once again after a hundred years. 

“If you must know,” he continued his “act” despite himself, “the moon was an odd color, it…”  
He paused. He held his wing up to his chest once again rubbing it softly, “...startled me”

“A blood moon…” Impa’s voice trailed on as she lowered her head. Revali tilted his head to the side before she continued, “they have been happening ever since the Calamity took over Hyrule. Before, they were a rare occurrence but...they’ve been more frequently. When it’s the night of a blood moon, Ganon’s power is at its strongest. It gives him the ability to revive all monsters who were slain. It’s quite...bothersome, to say the least. Our people often go inside for the night during the event. It gives the guards the night off for the most part.” 

The elderly woman seemed unfazed. Revali had to take her word for it. She gestured for him to come closer. He was reluctant but made his way forward. When he was close enough, she put her hand on his chest. He flinched but didn’t move away when he concluded she meant no harm. She looked up at him and had a grave expression. 

“You didn’t make it out of the Divine Beast unscathed, I see.” She pulled her hand away. 

“Thank you, I hadn’t noticed.” Revali sneered before mentally punching himself. Impa shook her head, disregarding his comment. 

“You have malice inside of you, in your heart.” Revali opened his mouth but Impa continued, “It must have happened when you were trapped inside Medoh. You said you can’t recall much of what happened?”

Revali looked away, took a deep breath before meeting her eye.

“I have...flashbacks. In the form of nightmares. I almost remember being murdered when that cursed creature shot me down from the sky but, only the moment before I died.” 

Impa nodded, “You must be cautious with your fragile state. This has never happened before, so we have no idea how this may affect the future. If you and Link can free the other champions, they will most likely have the same conditions. You must take care of them, of each other.” 

Revali bit back a demeaning comment, deciding it would be best to stay silent. He nodded. He glanced around the room before deciding it would be safe enough to return to the inn. He gave Impa a weak wave before turning around to exit. 

“You take care of Link too, that boy...he thinks fondly of you. He always has.” 

Revali froze and glanced over his shoulder, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” 

He left the house. 

Entering their room in the inn, he glanced over to Link. The Hylian had stayed asleep in his absence, snoring peacefully on his back. Revali’s chest felt tight as he walked over to the man’s bed. He let a soft wing brush the dirty blonde hair out of Link’s open mouth. He watched fondly, thinking back on Impa’s words. Whether they were true or not, he would not let them get to him. He softly huffed before heading back to his bed, covering his head to silence his thoughts.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Someday Revali will be real with himself, but today is not that day
> 
> EDIT: I just realized I forgot a small piece of dialogue but I fixed it now oh no


	4. Chapter 4

In the morning they stopped by to say their good-byes to Impa. As they left, the elderly woman sent a wink towards Revali, and that day he was glad Ritos didn't blush because he would have been bright red. After that, it was an uneventful day trip to the Lanayru region and they made it safe and sound.

...is what Revali would like to say if they hadn’t gotten ambushed right outside the Lanayru region. 

Link had been off his guard that morning, which was uncharacteristic for him. Revali had decided to fly that day to keep up the strength in his wings. He watched Link from a bird’s eye view as the Hylian stopped at every flora and fauna they passed by to collect stills of data on his Sheikah Slate. Revali rolled his eyes but kept a close eye on him, making sure the idiot didn’t trip on a rock while being distracted. 

He surveyed the area ahead, noticing a small bokoblin gang. They snorted and jumped around a small campfire with a huge slab of meat, screaming in delight. Revali’s face scrunched in disgust before he whistled to inform Link. The Hylian gave him a thumbs up and ran ahead, sword unsheathed. He groaned then rushed to fly forward to help snipe from above. He spotted the man knocking down and destroying monsters easily with his fast skills with the sword. Revali couldn’t help but gawk in between shooting arrows at monsters who tried to ambush Link. When all was cleared of the red bokoblins, they heard the loud snorting of a silver Moblin. It saw the gang of bokoblins killed and it let out a scream. It charged at Link with its huge spiked bat but the Hylian easily jumped out of the way, landing fast blows against the weak defenseless body of the Moblin. Revali dove down to shoot the monster square in the face, knocking it down. Link cheered as Revali swooped back up to regain his composure. He smiled to himself knowing he had impressed the man. 

Link was about to finish off the silver Moblin when he was knocked away by a sudden bat behind him. He flew across the ground, his limp body dragging over a small hill. Revali’s eyes went wide as he drove down to help the Hylian. He was on the brink of unconsciousness when Revali landed next to him. The Rito looked up to see two more silver Moblins running towards them. He could easily defend them if he was by himself but keeping his companion awake while fighting was another thing. Revali swallowed his pride as he helped Link sit up.

“We have to go! Now!” Revali said, shaking Link. The Hylian groaned as his eyes fluttered open, sending a weak smile up to Revali. Now was not the time to be cute! The Moblins were closing in as Revali threw the man over his shoulder, summoning his gale. It was weak but enough to lift both of them off the ground to escape. As Revali’s legs lifted off the ground, he felt a sharp pain shoot through him. He let out a scream, glancing back to see an arrow lodged into his back shoulder. He winced as the gale lifted them more, carrying them high into the sky. Revali’s shoulder screamed in pain as he flapped his wings. He could feel himself losing blood and it didn’t help that he was carrying Link as well. He would need to find a base to recover fast before his adrenaline escaped him.

He managed to find a small cave on the side of a cliff to rest in. He drove in, unable to slow his speed. They crashed into the back of the cave, hitting the wall hard. Link flopped off his body, going completely limp. Revali’s own body begged for rest but he crawled over to Link. The Hylian’s breath was shallow. Revali reached into Link’s bag to grab something to help him regain strength, deciding on an odd deep red elixir. He propped Link’s body up to a nearby rock, holding the man’s mouth open as he poured the liquid. Almost immediately, Link’s eyes opened. He looked around in surprise to see a new surrounding. Revali chuckled as he said “asshole” under his breath, noticing black specks in his vision that blocked his view of Link. The room spun as his body hit the hard rock of the cave’s floor. 

\---- 

When he awoke, he heard a quiet mumbling next to him. He was on his stomach, wings spread. He moved his shoulder and winced. It hurt but he felt that it had been bandaged, presumably in his sleep. The arrow had been removed. He grumbled as he tried to look around for the source of the mumbling. Link sat nearby fidgeting with the Sheikah Slate as he cooked dinner. Revali heard the word “monster” and furrowed his eyebrows. He decided he should speak up to question the Hylian.

“So the Champion of Hyrule can speak coherent sentences?” he murmured. His throat was dry, he coughed as he said the last word. Link’s head shot up as he looked at the Rito, his face red as the elixir. He froze and then nodded, scooting closer to Revali. He turned the Sheikah Slate to Revali. The angle was awkward but he got the gist of it. It was the monster from earlier. How Link got a picture between almost dying confused Revali but he brushed it off. The Rito gave Link a look that said “so?” and the Hylian frowned. 

“Rare,” he said. Revali could see it physically strained him to talk. He bit back a comment. He knew he appreciated hearing Link’s voice, even if he’d never want to admit that out loud. 

“There were three of them though,” he questioned. Link nodded. He closed the Sheikah Slate and stood up. Revali watched as he walked to the entrance of the cave. He stood still as a statue as he watched something in the darkness beyond their hideout. Soon, he returned with a grim look. 

“Ganon...his power i-it’s…” he looked down at his feet, shifting weight from foot to foot. Before long he sat down to continue watching the meat cook in the fire. He was silent, forcing Revali to anticipate the worse. 

“Zelda’s power is weakening,” Revali stated. He knew the answer. The last time rare monsters had appeared with this amount of frequency was right before Ganon awoke in his full power. It would be the only possibility. And...Link nodded again to confirm. The Rito groaned as he attempted to sit up. “Then what are we waiting for, we need to get to the Zora Domain!” 

Link reached out to stop Revali from getting up. The Rito pushed against him the best he could, but his energy was low. He slumped back down against the ground, shooting pain racing through him. He winced and then laughed bitterly.

“Of course I can’t move once again! I’m stuck waiting around with the Failure of Hyrule who can’t even do his job well enough to kill monsters by himself!” he yelled. He attempted to slam a fist down but it looked more like a pathetic flap. He let out a frustrated scream as he repeatedly flapped again. “And now! Because of your great job, Ganon is going to come back and destroy us all! Because you decided to wait until your pretty little map was filled out! Well, guess what? There are bigger problems than your stupid map!”

“Are you done?”

Revali froze. He looked up. Link’s face was furious. They stared at each other with only the fire illuminating their faces. The Rito’s eyes grew wide as he saw tears fall down the Hylian’s cheeks. 

“I wanted to remember everyone...I didn’t want to be an empty husk without memories anymore. I explored Hyrule to find them. I wanted to recognize Zelda when I freed her and,” he paused, meeting Revali’s eyes. “...remember the champions. To honor their memory. I didn’t know you were trapped inside. That’s not my fault. But don’t tell me that I’m a failure. I already know.” 

Link fell silent as he prodded at their dinner. Noticing it was done, he quickly stuck it onto a stick and placed it on a makeshift plate next to Revali. Then he stood up, mumbling something along the lines of “I’ll be back” and left the cave, leaving the Rito alone with his thoughts. 

He laid there as he thought over the conversation. He knew he shouldn’t have snapped. He regretted it. But there was no way to take it back now. He crawled over to his dinner, taking small bites at the awkward angle he was stuck in. He groaned, but he was too emotionally drained to throw another tantrum. He cursed at the Hylian for leaving him in such a pathetic state, but he knew he deserved it. His stomach twisted remembering the hurt look on Link’s face as he explained his actions. It almost made Revali feel guilty. 

Okay, it made him feel guilty. 

He had made Link cry. On top of that, he had forced the Hylian to speak in defense. His remarks have never gone so far as to make someone cry, everyone knowing that he used his attitude as a mask as Impa said. Well, he had made Princess Zelda cry once. He had teased that they were utterly doomed because of this elusive sealing power that she couldn’t activate after she had once again failed to feel anything while praying at a spring. She had silent tears fall down her face, which earned him a glare from Mipha that made him fear for his life. He wanted to blame Hylians for being too sensitive and open with their feelings, however, it was he who was at fault. He was too blunt, too sarcastic, for his own good to cover up his self-esteem at the cost of hurting the ones he loved. His chest tightened as Link’s face flashed in his head once again. He wished he could improve his attitude overnight, take back every terrible comment he has, but it has been a coping method since he was a young Rito. It was not going to be an easy habit to break.

He thought about how he could make up for his actions as he laid there flat in his bed made of rock and dirt. He couldn’t exactly achieve much considering he was temporarily disabled once again. 

‘You could apologize,’ a tiny voice in his head said. He groaned. It sounded like the repetitive advice the Zora princess would give a hundred years ago. No. He was too stubborn to do such a thing, to admit he was wrong out loud. The best he could do was to show his intentions through his actions. He let out a frustrated huff as he attempted to sit up again, a sharp pain shooting through his body, causing him to flop once again. Dirt scattered into the air around him, making him sneeze. He felt exhausted. He decided there was nothing he could do for now but rest. He closed his eyes, hoping that he would drift off soon. 

\----

He was on Vah Medoh once again. His vision had a fuzzy filter over it as he frantically looked around at his surroundings. The sky was a deep crimson, the same as the night of the blood moon in Kakariko Village. The moon was abnormally huge above him, the malice of Ganon swirling around in the sky in replacement of the clouds. He watched as the clouds began to swirl downwards onto Medoh, forming a tornado of malice. Dark ebony arms ripped from the tornado, pulsing as a body formed from the eye of the storm. It was the Windblight, but it felt different, much stronger than before. It towered over Revali, making him feel like merely an ant. It grabbed him, squeezing his puny body in its disgusting grip, the malice burning his feathers. His body didn’t feel like his own, he couldn’t move. He could only watch as the malice phantom plunged him inside its chest, surrounding him in malice. Though this time, he didn’t wake up in Link’s arms. Instead, he became the monster. He saw through its eyes as Link stood in front of it, the Master Sword glowing brightly in the darkness. Revali screamed for him to stop, pleading that it was him, to not hurt him as Link struck him in the chest, plunging the sword deep through his body. His vision went black. 

Revali screamed as he woke up. He was up and on his feet before he noticed that he was able to move again. He was unaware of how long he had slept as he searched the cave for a weapon. He grabbed the sharpest object next to him, an arrow from his quiver, and stretched it out in front of him, ready to attack and defend himself. The cave was dark around him except the small fire that was dying. There was a silhouette standing in the entrance and Revali approached it carefully. A terrified Link stood there with a sword out, backing away from the Rito. He no longer had the Master Sword from Revali’s dream, only a simple soldier’s sword. Revali’s eyes went wide as he dropped the arrow. He attempted to speak, stumbling over any form of explanation he could think of. In the end, he buried his face into his wings and moped to the back of the cave. He heard footsteps cautiously following him as he sat down by the fire, a hand resting on his shoulder. He heard a soft “You’re awake” from the man.

“I don’t need your fake pity,” he snapped. Link was silent. He assumed that the Hylian had spoken enough sentences to no longer feel the need to say more than a couple of words once again. Revali shook his head. “Please, just ignore what you saw. I’m fine.” That still didn’t push the man away. Instead, Link sat down next to him, their shoulders touching. Revali’s chest tightened once again as he looked over to the man, who had a small smile on his face. Revali scoffed. 

“You’re too kind. One day, that kindness is going to be your downfall.”

The smile dropped from Link’s face as he looked into the fire. They both watched the tiny flames dance in the darkness, casting shadows onto the wall. They sat in silence before Revali sighed.

“I don’t deserve this, or you,” Revali mumbled. Link looked up at him, his eyebrows furrowed. Revali chuckled. “You don’t need to forgive me for my tantrum.”

Link shook his head, an angry expression flashing on his face for a second. Revali smiled. He was almost glad the Hylian didn’t forgive him. He wasn’t that much of a pushover at least. The Rito looked away as he mumbled something under his breath. It was barely audible, causing Link to tug on his scarf. Revali huffed before looking back at the man, his heart rapid in his chest. 

“Would it be too much...for you to stay next to me tonight?”

Link blinked and then shook his head. He snuggled into the warm feathers of Revali as he watched the entrance, his eyes drooping a bit. Revali sighed, lifting his wing for Link to snuggle underneath, repeating their action from the night before Kakariko Village. It wasn’t long before he heard the low breathing of the man underneath his wing. 

Revali chuckled, “Guess I’ll be taking watch for the night.”


	5. Chapter 5

They had left early in the morning once Link had awakened. The Hylian had given Revali a neutral look when he noticed the avian’s wing was around him. Revali pulled his wing back with a huff, hoping the disappointment didn’t show on his face. He wanted Link to thank him for the makeshift blanket but he knew that he did not deserve that after his tantrum the night before. However, he would not be ashamed to show bitterness from the lack of acknowledgment. 

The Lanayru region had been a few hours from their tiny cave. Soon after they had crossed the border, the rain started to fall. It wasn’t long until the rain came down hard, soaking both travelers to the bone. The exposed bandages on Revali’s wounded shoulder -- that had recovered surprisingly fast but was most likely because of Link’s fancy elixirs -- was starting to slip. He groaned, reaching up to rip off the remaining bandages. It immediately started itching, but it was overshadowed by the scar on his chest sending a sharp pain through his body. The rain was aggravating the old "healed" tissue. This would be a long, exhausting trip. Link looked unfazed by their condition as if he was thriving in the weather. Every so often, his face would light up with childish delight when he discovered a shallow puddle. Revali felt a warmth inside of him when his companion would look back with the goofy smile the Rito had come to love before his expression dropped when he remembered he was supposed to be angry at the avian. 

Love. 

Revali groaned. He was in trouble. 

“Say, hey there!” A voice called out to them from above while they crossed a bridge. Link and Revali’s heads shot up, the Rito drawing his bow to aim. It was a Zora, watching them and waving. He relaxed but kept his guard up.

The Zora jumped down in front of them and-- he towered over both of them. Revali had to strain his neck to look the Zora in the eye. His face retorted into a grimace as the Zora smiled down at them with his hands resting on his hips. 

“It’s rare to see a Rito out this far! But to see a Hylian traveling with you as well, it must be our lucky day!” the Zora’s voice boomed with excitement and he gave them a wide grin. Revali could feel himself growing annoyed the more this man talked. “What are your names, travelers?”

Revali looked over to Link and was surprised to hear him mumble his name. Revali sighed and introduced himself as well. 

“Link and Revali, now? Absolutely stunning names! Yet I can’t seem to shake the feeling that I’ve heard these names before...Ah! But never mind that! I am Sidon, the Zora prince!” Revali could feel the grimace on his face growing more painfully obvious as Sidon smiled at them that almost blinded Revali. The name and ecstatic personality struck him with nostalgia from years ago, but he decided to keep quiet, letting his annoyance win. He glanced over the Link and he had a blank expression, but from his slightly raised eyebrow, Revali could tell he was intrigued. 

“We Zora have been searching for strong warriors like yourselves to help our Domain! Please, please will you help us?”

“We were on our way there right now,” Revali stated. His voice was monotone to keep from being obvious with his irritation. The Zora prince gasped and Revali did not know how someone’s grin could be that wide. 

“Fantastic! Please, come with me, we will head to my Domain together! I will follow you through the river to make sure you two are safe!”

Before Revali could make another sarcastic comment about the Zora giving him a migraine, Sidon jumped into the river and sped off ahead. They stood there stunned before Link started to jog ahead, Revali following close behind. The trail ahead was slippery and they had almost fallen into the river too many times to count. Sidon had caught Link once when he slipped in before Revali could grab him. Sidon effortlessly picked the Hylian up and threw him back onto shore. Link’s face was as red as the Zora’s scales as he stumbled onto land into Revali’s grip. Revali could feel his blood boil. He may have known Sidon as a guppy, but he did not like this Zora at all. He was rambunctious, excessive, and-- 

Revali could tell he was jealous of the Zora. It made him self aware of his height, standing only roughly a foot taller than Link. It made him self conscious that he wasn’t nearly as strong as the Zora. It made him self conscious that--

Link had to elbow Revali to mentally return him to Hyrule. He had not realized he was zoning out for far too long and Link glanced at him, his eyebrows furrowed. Revali shrugged in response, choosing to ignore the blonde’s concern. He would have to bottle up his feelings and move on with his life. He needed to focus on why they were traveling together in the first place, to rescue the champions. He needed a clear head. He didn’t want to get shot with an arrow again. 

The trip to the Domain felt much longer with Sidon stopping them every chance he had to check in on their progress. Revali eventually almost snapped at the Zora prince but Link grabbed his wing before he could to silence him. He jerked his wing away, which aggravated his shoulder. He shouted to try to temporarily relieve his anger. He was on the verge of ripping out his feathers and shooting an arrow into the prince’s chest when they arrived at the Great Zora Bridge. It led straight into the Zora Domain and Revali almost ran across it to sanctuary. He was emotionally exhausted from their trip and all he wanted to do was rest now. Though that did not seem to be the plan any time soon. 

Upon entering the Domain, many Zoras immediately started to whisper. Revali glanced around to find the exact source but it came from everywhere. He did make eye contact with an elderly Zora, who seemed to be watching Link from behind a pillar. He stared back but was soon interrupted by Sidon running up to them. 

“Welcome to the pride and joy of our people, the Zora Domain! Please come quick, come quick, we must speak with the king!” Sidon turned and ran ahead, Revali and Link following close behind. As they made their way up the stairs, it was clear that more elderly Zora came to glare at them. Revali scowled at them and leaned down to Link’s ear. 

“You seem to have a bad reputation here, hero. We’re getting some pretty nasty looks.” Revali whispered once they were out of earshot. Link nodded but continued to look forward, no visible expression on his face. Revali sighed and straightened his back, folding his wings behind his back to attempt to ignore their audience. He felt his eye twitch when one almost spat in his ear. He kept one wing on his bow until they entered the throne room. Sidon’s size already intimidated him, but seeing the Zora king sitting on the throne made him feel like he was merely an ant. The king was gigantic and Revali felt himself shrink away. Link must have sensed him, for he patted the avian’s wing. He shook off the moment before the king’s voice boomed.

“You must be the travelers my son Sidon spoke of!” He was just as boisterous as Sidon, but his voice boomed with authority and age. Revali felt his stress migraine returning. 

“I am King Dorephan, ruler of the Zora. And-- hm?” The king leaned forward, staring Link up and down. Revali resisted the urge to stand in front of the man protectively when the king continued. “Is that not a Sheikah Slate on your hip?” 

Link nodded. The king gasped, leaning forward once again. His large face was close to them, it made Revali shiver to think that his whole body was the size of the king’s dorsal fin. He stared for a long moment before exclaiming, “Champion Link! It is you indeed!”

Both Sidon and the elderly Zora in the throne room stepped back in shock. Revali sighed.

“Surely you recognize me too, your majesty? I may not be a Hylian nor in my former champion attire but I am standing right here.” Revali sneered. The king leaned forward once again. 

“Do my old eyes deceive me...Champion Revali? My dear friend it is you!” Revali cringed at the word ‘friend’ for they had met only once or twice. “My, two champions standing in front of us after a hundred years. We heard a terrible rumor that you had fallen along with the other champions and…my daughter.”

Link was expressionless, which caused King Dorephan to frown, “My boy, you do remember your old friend now?”

“You’d be better off leaving me to answer your questions. Poor thing woke up and couldn’t remember a darn thing, his memories are completely scrambled.” Revali explained, letting himself get one sarcastic comment without trying to sound disrespectful. However, he still got a hiss from the elderly Zora to the king’s left. Revali gave him a mischievous smile. Link shoved him lightly. 

“If he cannot remember anything, does he not remember my daughter Mipha? All the times they had spent together here?” Link shook his head in response. Revali spoke up. 

“We are actually here to speak to you about that. We believe we can save her.” 

Silence. Then the old Zora who had been giving them the most outraged look Revali had ever seen in his life finally spoke up.

“You come into this throne room a hundred years too late and expect us to believe you?! Because of Link, our dear princess is dead! And now he’s here without a memory to his name with the belief you can save her. Not to mention this ridiculous Rito impersonating our princess’s fellow champion who passed a hundred years ago! I cannot believe another second of this, I have never been more appalled in my life!” 

Revali’s expression darkened. Link gripped his wing again as he took a deep breath. “Link here was lucky enough to be sleeping in the Shrine of Resurrection. I have been trapped in the Divine Beast for a hundred years. I’m the real deal, old man. And we believe that because I’m here that...Mipha has been trapped inside for that long as well.”

Both the king and Sidon were silent. Both stared at them with a blank expression while the elderly Zora continued to mumble curses under his breath towards them. 

“My...My daughter has been trapped inside that...that beast for a hundred years?” King Dorephan’s voice was low, almost a whisper. For such a large man, Revali was surprised to hear him able to keep a whisper. As if on cue, a cry roared from the distance. It almost sounded in pain. It caused his body to shake and his chest started to burn. He clutched his chest, his knees almost buckling. Link caught him, his arm wrapped around the Rito’s shoulders and one hand on his chest. Revali winced, glancing up to see the Zora king’s expression filled with fear. He gave the king a weak nod, and Dorephan’s hand came up to his mouth. 

“What is the problem?” Sidon asked, rushing forward to hold Revali up as well. The pain subsided and Revali stood straight, ignoring the soreness left over. 

“The phantom inside of the Divine Beast...has cursed me it seems,” Revali hissed, “If we do not get Mipha out of there soon, I fear the worst for her. She may be in a condition similar to mine, or...worse.” He did not mean to worry the king, but he needed to know the truth. King Dorephan’s eyes were facing their direction, but he looked as if he had been transported away. Soon his hand moved to cover his eyes. 

“Sidon. Escort the champions to the guest chambers. I...need a moment. We will speak of preparations later.” 

Sidon wrapped his arms around the two champions and led them out of the throne room. Behind them, Revali could hear the king stifling tears. 

“My daughter...my sweet Mipha…I’m sorry, I have failed you...”

Sidon led them to their rooms. He seemed different from the Zora they had met on the bridge. He was quiet, his eyes on the verge of tears. 

“I must speak to my father alone. Get some rest.” They watched as the prince ran down the hall back to the throne room. 

They stood there in the doorway for what felt like years before finally deciding that settling in would be their next best move. It was still early in the afternoon so it wasn’t exactly time for them to sleep. They decided to explore the area on their own to prepare for their battle with Vah Ruta. Link decided that he would be stopping by the market to grab ingredients and arrows. Revali decided that he did not want to stay inside the Domain for another moment if not necessary, so taking advantage of his shoulder being relatively healed, he flew off to find the Divine Beast. 

It was already annoying walking in the rain, but flying in the rain was somehow worse. However, staying trapped in the guest rooms for another second may have driven the avian mad. He flew to the dam that overlooked what the locals had called the East Reservoir Lake, where Ruta was located. He stood at the end of the long dock and watched as the beast spilled neverending rainfall onto the region. Its large trunk was facing the sky, the rain much heavier now that he stood so close to Ruta. Revali silently contemplated how they would even handle this when he remembered Link had entered Medoh by himself. The Hylian technically didn’t even need him to face Ruta and whatever creature was inside that trapped Mipha. He knew he wanted to rescue the others, that he missed them, but perhaps he was only getting in the way. 

He sat down and pulled his knees into his chest, resting his beak on top. He was being pathetic, but he could not help feeling useless. He had always felt he was the weakest of the champions but refused to admit it out loud. They were all born with natural talent. He had to earn his. And sitting in front of the Divine Beast, he realized that Link was born with his own natural talent of facing the darkness. While Revali had a physical reminder of how he had failed his people, his kingdom. Link was lucky to have been born with such power, even as a mere Hylian. 

Revali sighed. 

This was not the time and place to be wallowing in self-pity. But he continued to spiral until he heard someone approaching him. He didn’t bother turning around. He didn’t care enough for his safety at the moment. But...it smelled of fish. 

“I’m surprised to see you here, young one.” It was Sidon. Of course, of all the people to see him like this, it had to be the perfect Zora prince. Revali stayed silent. Sidon took that as an invitation to walk closer to him until he stood next to him. From where he sat, the prince looked like a mountain. He internally groaned. He was short enough as is. 

“It’s hard seeing such a violent beast rampage like this, knowing a gentle soul such as my sister is trapped inside.” Sidon continued, “It must be torture if she can see how our Domain is being treated.”

“She can’t,” Revali mumbled, “so don’t worry your perfect little prince self.”

He watched Sidon in his peripheral vision as he sat down next to him, his legs dangling into the lake. They sat in silence, thunder booming in the distance. Finally, Revali spoke up.

“I thought you were off comforting your father after my blunt explanation.” Revali looked over, a grimace plastered over his face. Sidon’s face was blank, almost resembling a certain someone the avian knew. When he noticed Revali staring, he looked over and a gentle smile crept onto his face. 

“I did, but the elders are still suspicious of you two. They saw you fly off and were about to send a guard to watch you from afar, but I volunteered instead.”

“I’m touched,” Revali said with a monotone voice. It earned a chuckle from the Zora prince. He didn’t mean it as a joke, perhaps Sidon was too dense to know otherwise. 

“You and Link knew Mipha personally, did you not? I’m sure you have many fond memories of your times together.” Sidon’s voice was mellow. He almost sounded nostalgic, looking back on his sister. For a second, Revali felt for the prince. He cracked a bit. 

“Link couldn’t tell you anything in his current state, given the man barely remembers how to walk at times. That being said…” he paused, biting back a smile. “Mipha and I had been close. We first only knew each other in passing, being fellow champions, but soon we had bonded over similar interests. She had a knack for making jewelry, which shouldn’t have shocked me. But being royalty, I expected her to sit as people made things for her... We also--” 

He stopped, almost revealing too much. Of course, Mipha and he had been close. They both knew unrequited love for ones they could not have. They would come to each other for every slight inconvenience they had. Revali had been reluctant to label her as his best friend, but given the fondness he felt when he remembered her, he supposed there would be no better definition. 

Sidon did not question the abrupt stop. Instead, he laughed, his voice booming. 

“She was always amazing everyone around her! She may have been kind but she could be strict when she wanted to be. She would always push me to perform my very best, even when I was young. Her passion for others overshadowed her ornery side, of course. It always surprises people when I tell people that the same Mipha who cared for everyone was the same Mipha who chased me around the Domain with her trident when I accidentally told the guards her secrets. I had been so young, I did not know any better! My, I had not known she could be redder than her scales, but I had learned my lesson that day!”  
Sidon’s laugh boomed, echoing into the evening sky. A small chuckle escaped Revali’s beak.

“You’d be surprised. I’ve seen that side of her myself on occasion.” 

“Then you must know real struggles, my friend!” Sidon slapped his back, causing Revali to lurch forward. He let out a soft squawk and the prince belly laughed. Revali retaliated by smacking him in the face with his wing, earning the prince with a mouth full of feathers. He continued to laugh, which was almost contagious. Revali gave him a conceited smile, humming a bit. Sidon’s laugh died down before he sighed, a smile still plastered on his face. 

“I haven’t laughed like that in so long,” he mumbled, giving a Revali a toothy smile. He returned a genuine smile before letting it fall as quickly as it had appeared. It felt out of place since it hadn’t been sarcasm. 

Sidon stood up, stretching a bit. 

“I must be heading back now. I have told Link to meet us in the throne room tomorrow morning, I’m sure I’ll see you as well.” Revali gave him a curt nod before standing up himself. “Then I best be going, I will see you tomorrow, champion!” 

At that, Sidon ran off down the steps of the dam. Revali watched him for a bit before summoning his winds and dove down to the Domain. 

\---

It was the next morning, they reported to King Dorephan as they were instructed to do. The Zora king’s face was stone cold. Revali was positive that their conversation from yesterday had affected him, but he refused to let it show. Royalty couldn’t afford to show weakness, after all. Instead, he forced a smile as they entered the throne room. He went over the battle plan, instructing them how Vah Ruta worked and what they would need to do to stop its rampage. They listened intently, though Revali knew somewhat how Ruta worked from nights he would sit on its trunk with Mipha. She would sit and explain its mechanics in such an enthusiastic way. It was clear to him that she had been excited to pilot the Divine Beast and he would sit and listen to the spiel -- half hoping it would help him catch on to Medoh’s mechanics. 

“Link--” King Dorephan said, snapping Revali out of his thoughts. He looked over to the small Hylian, who had a blank stare to cover his shakiness. “We...found the Zora armor Mipha had crafted for you. I wish for you to have it in your battle with Ruta, may it protect you.”

Revali tried to hide his confusion as the elderly Zora brought over the armor. He scowled at Link but stayed respectful in the face of the King as he handed it to the man. Link nodded to him. 

“Once you have changed into the armor, please meet Sidon down at East Reservoir Lake. He will help the two of you enter the Divine Beast.” 

They nodded and headed out. Link decided to change in the woods near the stairs that climbed the side of the dam. Revali watched as the blonde struggled with the metal jewelry attached to the armor before it slid on over his scar covered body. It fit him almost too perfectly, skin tight to help with swimming up waterfalls and streams. Revali swallowed his questions regarding the armor, knowing Zora princesses crafted armor for their future husbands. He would wait until Mipha was safe and sound to interrogate her on the subject. 

Link gave him a thumbs up and Revali split his shock arrows with him, making sure they both had their fair share just in case Link’s paltry archery skills happened to ruin their plan. They made their way up the stairs and met Sidon at the end of the dock. The Zora prince smiled at Revali and winked, the Rito rolling his eyes. 

“Are you two ready?” the prince asked and they nodded. Revali took to the skies and they were off.


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're shaking things up and switching to Mipha's POV for this chapter to learn more about her own struggles being thrown into the future so suddenly, fun times all around

For how many times the Zora princess had explored Vah Ruta, this was the first time it felt like a labyrinth. 

Mipha ran through the corridors of the Divine Beast, the screeching of the phantom echoing down the halls. Her feet padded against the ancient material, giving away her position to the monster. 

She cursed. 

She had been running in circles the whole time. Her mind blanked as she thought about the layout of the beast as she made another left, the scratching of the monster’s claws right behind her. She came to a stop. She had ended up back in the main control unit room, water splashing below her feet. Hot tears started to fall down her cheeks. She was going to die defenseless and alone. She ran up to the control unit, frantically sending out an SOS message as the sound of scraping against stone entered the room. 

It stopped. 

Mipha froze, her heart pounding in her chest. She hesitantly turned to see the monster towering over her, its spear held within arm's length of her. It let out a low screech, twitching its head as it stared at her. Mipha couldn’t move, her hand was frozen on the SOS button. She heard it beeping repeatedly in her ear as the monster reared back its spear before plunging it deep into her sternum. It pinned her body down against the control unit. She opened her mouth to scream but nothing escaped her throat. It hurt to intake air, every gasp sent shooting pain through her chest. She could feel her throat closing as life slipped from her grasp. She thought of the champions, hoping, praying, that they were safe. But as she looked into the monster’s deformed face, she had a sinking feeling that they were in danger just as her. She prayed Link and Zelda made it to safety, that it was not too late for them to save the kingdom from the Calamity. 

Tears began to fall again as she thought of the princess one last time. How many things that were left unsaid, that she had come to regret. 

The monster’s hand surrounded her body. She felt the malice enter her bloodstream through the gaping hole in her sternum yet all she could do is gasp for air when--

She gasped awake.

Revali and Link were standing over her, their faces covered in worry. Her eyes darted back and forth between the two of them, her eyes narrowing. 

“Link? Revali? What--” She coughed. Revali put a wing behind her head and helped her sit up. She winced but gave him a small smile. “Thank you.” 

Link put a gentle hand on her shoulder and smiled. Mipha’s eyes went wide with shock. She hadn’t seen him smile in so long, it almost felt foreign seeing it. She looked back to Revali who had been staring at the Hylian as well, before looking back at her. 

“Can you walk?” he asked. She attempted to move her legs a bit but they resisted her. She tried to sit up more but gasped in pain. She felt light-headed and laid back down in Revali’s wing. She shook her head. Link scooted closer, tucking his arms under her body to lift her, Revali’s wing staying behind her head. Specks of light surrounded them and she closed her eyes. When she opened them, they were in the Zora Domain. She glanced around. It looked...different somehow. She felt her eyes begin to flutter from exhaustion and soon, she passed out. 

\----

“Well, doesn’t this give you deja vu?”

Revali’s voice awoke her. Her eyes fluttered open to see Revali and Link standing next to her as she floated on her back in a shallow pond of water. She sat up and glanced around the room to see another Zora standing on her left. He towered over her and gasped seeing her awake. He grabbed her hands and his eyes watered. 

“Mipha, you’re awake! Thank Hylia you’re okay, we were scared you had left us again!” The Zora said. His large stature combined with his excitement shook her a bit too much, causing slight pain to spread through her body. She winced, causing the Zora man to freeze. He took his hands off of her gasping. “My apologies! I forget that your body is still fragile from your imprisonment.” 

She blinked, her face blank of expression. “Imprisonment?”

“Oh! We have so much to catch up on! Our lives have been full of painstaking grief from losing you, but now we have been reunited!” 

She was silent, question after question running through her head. She heard Revali scoff. 

“Sidon, watch it. You’re going to give her a headache from all this thinking.”

Sidon?

“Pardon me, but this couldn’t possibly be Sidon. He is but a child. He barely stood past my knees when I saw him today. Where is he by the way?” 

The room went silent. Mipha narrowed her eyes in confusion, looking at each of the men standing in her room. Their faces lowered in sadness as she stared. 

“Dear sister, it’s me...” The Zora man spoke softly. He crouched down to the side of the pond and gave her a big toothy smile. She let out a soft gasp. She could recognize his smile amidst any crowd, his huge pearly whites shining and filled with optimism. Tears began to form as she took in the adult form of her baby brother. She reached out to put her hand on his face. She could feel hot tears fall on his face as well.

“My dear Sidon, you’ve grown so big. How is this possible, I had just seen you this morning before we went to meet the princess at Mount Lanayru! I--”

She froze as the memory of losing her life returned to her. Being pinned against the main control unit. A spear through her sternum as she gasped for air. Her hand instinctively went to her chest and looked down. A deep charcoal scar with minor hints of red replaced the spear. It was tender to the touch and she gasped, taking her hand away. She looked to Revali for answers, who only gave her a slow nod. His wing went to his chest, gesturing to where his would be presumably. She felt Sidon’s hand come to her shoulder and he pulled her into a tight hug. She returned it, burying her head into his neck sniffling. 

“We should go.” she heard Revali say and then the shuffling of feet indicated they had left. 

“How long has it been?” Mipha’s voice was a whisper. She was afraid of the answer. She could feel Sidon hesitate before he answered. 

“It has been a hundred years, my dear sister.” His voice shook as he spoke. It was muffled as he spoke into her small shoulder. He had grown so grand while she was merely the same height she had been. It started to sink in how long it had truly been. She had died inside of Vah Ruta. Yet she was here. So was Revali. Link as well. She wondered where the rest of the champions were. Where the princess was. 

When Sidon pulled away, he once again was beaming at her. “We must celebrate your return! Once you are well, we may start preparations! Father has yet to see you as well, we must visit him as soon as possible!” Sidon’s voice boomed and it caused Mipha to giggle. The slight movement hurt but she ignored it so she could put a hand on Sidon’s arm. 

“Sweet Sidon, we will have time. But for now, I wish to rest please,” She leaned forward to kiss his forehead. “Goodnight.” 

He gave her a big toothy grin then left the room. 

Immediately, her smile fell. 

She held out a hand to her chest and summoned her healing powers. The pain subsided but the scar stayed. She pushed harder but it didn’t work. She sighed. She went to work healing the rest of her body. Soon she was as healthy as can be. But her body, especially her chest still ached a bit. She ran a hand over it once again now that it felt less tender to the touch. The texture was odd, not entirely slimy but it felt different from her scales. She frowned as she realized that the scar was close to feeling like the sticky malice material itself, minus the pain that is normally caused when touched. It disgusted her, but she knew she could not do much at the current moment. She rolled over to get some rest. 

\----

Despite her healing powers, Mipha was still sentenced to resting in the small pond in her room as she recovered from her various body pains. She often floated there with her face just above the water staring and tracing the patterns on the ceiling. She contemplated how her chest had not healed from her powers. She would attempt to try multiple times, each time resulting in nothing. It was a bit frustrating, but there was nothing she could do about it, so she accepted her situation. 

She was frequently visited by the two other champions, either together or Revali by himself. They would sit in silence, Mipha resting her eyes as she listened to Revali sketch in his journal. The pencil scratching the paper relaxed her enough to take naps, knowing she would be safe in Revali’s presence. Only one time, Link had come alone. 

He sat at the edge of the pond with his legs crisscrossed, his eyes down in his lap. Mipha swam up to him, resting a hand on his knee. 

“What’s troubling you, dear friend?” she asked. Link looked up with her, his eyes empty. He lifted his hands to sign, sighed, and then spoke. 

“Can you tell me a memory of us?” he whispered, his lips quivering. Mipha gave him a puzzled look but did not question, instead she started to recall the time of their fight with the Lynel on Ploymus Mountain. She was particularly fond of that memory, reminiscing about how the two fought as one against the wretched beast. When she was done, Link gave her a small smile, nodding. He put a flat hand to his lips and then moved it towards her. She knew the sign for “thank you” by heart because of him. He then rubbed a fist in a circle over his chest. 

“Why do you apologize?”

He was avoiding her eyes. Mipha rubbed his knee softly before he made eye contact.

“I’m having trouble with my memories,” he paused, glancing around to collect his thoughts, “Everything is still fuzzy.”

Mipha smiled at him, “I can tell you another story if you would like?” she asked. Link gave her a small nod. She tapped her chin then snapped, “do you remember when we went to the Hyrule Forest Park?”

_Zelda had needed a break. She had been trapped inside the castle for too many days and Mipha was starting to get concerned. The champions had been summoned to the castle for political reasonings, but afterward, Mipha snuck away to seek out the princess. She had not been stealthy enough, for Revali grabbed her with his wing, startling her._

_“Where do you think you’re going?” he hissed at her. She hushed him, glancing behind him to check if there were any guards nearby eavesdropping on them. Revali raised an eyebrow at her once she saw the coast was clear._

_“I was going to go find the princess. We haven’t seen her today and I assume that she has not journeyed outside the castle in a spell.” She fidgeted with her hands as she felt Revali watch her, “I figured maybe...we could go on a quick trip outside of the castle. To get her some fresh air.”_

_“The great Zora princess Mipha, rebelling? Never thought I’d live to see the day,” Revali teased, sighing as she smiled at him, “You know her lost puppy won’t let her disobey the king’s orders.”_

_“I’m sure I can win him over if you give me the chance. I’ve known him since we were children, I know how to persuade him in my favor if I must.”_

_The avian shrugged, “Suit yourself. But I’m coming with you, politics have always bored me.”_

_They made their way to Zelda’s room where Link was standing guard outside. His expression was blank when he saw Mipha and Revali walk up to him. He raised an eyebrow at them but other than that, his face was stone cold. Mipha’s heart pained to see her childhood friend so apathetic but that was not their reason for being there._

_“We are going on a day trip into town, if you two would like to accompany us,” Mipha started, “I figured that the princess needed a day away from her royal duties. I understand that sometimes princesses need rest from their responsibilities.”_

_Link glanced over his shoulder at the door then shook his head. Though Mipha could almost see a hint of boredom on his face for a split second. He looked at Revali, his face apologetic. Revali’s eyes went wide for a second before he looked away scoffing._

_“Surely the royal air of this castle must be getting stuffy, even as spacious this place is. I can almost cut the tension with a knife. It’s bothersome,” Revali complained, gesturing around himself. Mipha rolled her eyes but went with it, nodding along. Link was about to shake his head again when the door to Zelda’s room swung open._

_“Let’s go. I need some fresh air,” she stated before pushing past Link before he could protest and walked down the hall. Mipha and Link quickly followed while Revali dragged his feet behind them._

_It was almost too easy “sneaking” out of the castle. Zelda told the guards that she and the champions had business in town, the guards had no choice but to let the group go. As soon as they left the castle, they made their way over to Hyrule Forest Park. It was the perfect place to make a temporary hideout, the trees hiding their location from the rest of the people. Though it would not have been an issue if they had been seen, they were famous amongst the average Hyrulians, especially the princess and her knight. They did not want to spend the afternoon answering questions about the inevitable doomsday quickly approaching. Instead, they waited as the sunset and everyone cleared out for the night before the four moved to the central clearing of the park._

_Link made a fire in the center of the group and they all sat around the campfire in silence, watching the fire dance in the night. Link was emotionless as usual as he sat next to Revali, the Rito glancing over at him now and then. Mipha sat close to Zelda, their shoulders almost close enough to touch. It sent a shiver down the Zora’s spine as she glanced over to look at the Hyrule princess to see her face contorting with many emotions, too many to pick out an individual one._

_“I know you all did this because you pity me,” Zelda whispered. There was anger in her voice, but also a hit of disappointment. Mipha put her hand on the princess’s, shaking her head._

_“We did this because we knew you needed a moment outside of the castle,” Mipha said, squeezing the girl’s shoulder lightly._

_“Your appointed shadow almost didn’t let you leave,” Revali stated, earning him a glare from both Link and Mipha. He waved them off when Zelda let out a bitter laugh. She brought her knees up to her chest and huffed. Mipha moved her hand from Zelda’s to her lower back._

_“Princess, I--”_

_“Zelda.”_

_“Right,” Mipha swallowed, “Zelda, we are not only the champions, but we are your friends. This is not about us pitying you. We care about you.”_

_Though Link (and surprisingly Revali) stayed silent, they nodded in agreement. Zelda smiled at them all. She mumbled a soft “thank you” under her breath._

_They stayed there for several hours, talking about anything and everything. Revali managed to get a laugh out of Link, though it almost ended in a duel between the two. Zelda and Mipha watched as they both stood up, chest to chest as Revali provoked the shorter Hylian. Zelda giggled as she rested her head on Mipha’s shoulder, causing Mipha to jump a bit. She smiled at the Hylian princess before getting startled by Link suplexing Revali. The two started fighting in the dirt, getting too close to the fire. Revali’s tail was singed and he yelped, glaring at Link. The Hylian man was laughing, but he took out a small bandage to wrap the Rito’s burn. Revali glared over his shoulder as Link wrapped his tail, smiling. Mipha couldn’t help but feel a pang of nostalgia seeing her friend smile for the first time in forever. This moment with the four of them by the fire made her temporarily forget that the Calamity could awaken any day. Zelda was laughing as she leaned into Mipha, watching the two champions recuperate after their fight. She wiped the tears from her eyes as she took the break to breathe._

_In the silence of the night, they could hear the sound of armor against armor approaching them. Two Hylian guards ran into the clearing, shattering the illusion._

_“Princess! We have been looking everywhere for you! Please, let us escort you back to the castle,” one guard said. Zelda groaned as she stood up._

_“Return to the castle, I will be back soon. I will have my appointed knight escort me back.”_

_The guards were hesitant but they eventually backed off. Zelda stood with her back turned away from the group for a second, then turned back to put out the fire. Her expression was once again empty, as was Link’s. Zelda thanked them for the time and then she and Link left, leaving the two champions sitting in the darkness of the park._

Link’s eyes were lidded as he listened to the story. When he realized that she had finished, he glanced over to her with a glazed over look in his eyes. Mipha was silent as she watched his eyes, searching for recognition of the story. It never came. Instead, he looked over to her with a sad smile. She frowned, which caused him to dart his eyes away from her. He rubbed a fist over his heart to apologize, but Mipha shook her head. 

“There’s no need to apologize, dear friend. I cannot imagine how it must feel to have such a heavy burden on your shoulders while having no memories,” she tried to sympathize, but she could not hide the hurt in her voice. It was clear Link heard this, for he looked up with knitted brows. His blue eyes shined with tears as one slipped down his cheek. Mipha gasped, reaching out to hold his hand in her own. She ran a thumb over his knuckle, looking away as she listened to his sniffling. They stayed like that for a while until he finally took his hand back, but tears were still in his eyes. Mipha gave him a sad smile, gesturing for him to come closer. As he leaned in, she rested her hand on his cheek. 

“Sweet Link, please be patient with yourself. We may be in a unique circumstance, but remember you are not alone. You have me, and of course Revali. We will be here for you and each other, I promise. You should go get some rest, please. Will you be attending the Champion Festival tomorrow?” Mipha asked. Link looked away. He told her his plan to journey to Death Mountain the next day but made it clear that because of the danger and heat of the volcano, he would force Revali to stay with her until he sent word that he had retrieved Daruk. Mipha sighed, knowing that Revali would be putting up a fight about the Hylian’s decision. He reassured that they would all be reunited soon, stating that they may meet in the Gerudo desert. 

“Ah, uhm…” she stuttered, lowering herself more the water, “You do know that Zoras can’t...explore the desert properly, right?” Link’s ears turned bright red again from embarrassment. He scratched the back of his head, chuckling. Mipha rolled her eyes at him, patting his knee. “It’s alright, I’m sure you can sneak in with Revali somehow.” 

Link raised an eyebrow but didn’t question the statement. Instead, he started signing a name to her. His ears were red but the blissful look in his eyes told her it was not from embarrassment. 

“What about Revali?” she asked. She watched as the blush of his ears spread to his cheeks. As he continued to sign quickly, Mipha could only make out the gist of it. It was enough for her to giggle in response. 

“That Rito sending you mixed signals doesn’t surprise me. Maybe you should speak to him about it--” Link aggressively shook his hands in front of him, she laughed, “Okay okay, maybe I can speak to him about it. Would that be preferable?”

Link frowned but gave her a nod. When she smiled, reassuring him that she would speak to him, he stood up to leave, giving her a small wave as he left. She watched him as he left, remembering how he had blushed when they briefly spoke of Revali. She was glad nothing between them had changed but...she knew she had things to discuss with the Rito. It made her miss the princess seeing how blissful Link’s eyes were as they spoke of the avian. 

She knew that in her youth, she had feelings for Link. It was a childish infatuation, she realized. Though sometimes when she saw him, she could feel the nostalgia for simpler days in her heart. Before she was a champion before Link had become so cold. Perhaps that is why when she met the princess, she had become infatuated with her as well. Mipha lowered her head into the water, frowning. No, that was not it. She knew that Zelda had not been a rebound for her lost feelings for Link. They shared too many moments that Mipha cherished deeply for it to be explained away as a rebound. However--

She saw when she had been rescued that Link was wearing the Zora armor she had made for him. She thought that maybe Revali may have been giving Link a hard time recently was because of the armor. She would have to explain herself to her dear friend before he presumed the worse. 

Mipha groaned underwater, causing her tub to bubble. 

That would be tomorrow's issue.


	7. Chapter 7

Revali was intolerant of the world around him the moment he woke up. 

He was forcefully shaken away before the sun had risen. His eyes had not yet focused but from the sight of blurry long blond hair, he knew it was Link who had woken him up. He groaned, rolling over away from him. The water inside the bed made his body move in such an odd way, it made him miss the hammocks in Rito Village. Another violent shake and he was sitting up, the healing scab on his right shoulder itching as it scratched against his clothing. He struggled to scratch it while glaring at the Hylian, who had his brows knitted together. Revali squinted at him, blinking rapidly to help focus them. 

“ _ What? _ ” he hissed. His voice was still hoarse from sleep, it was almost too scratchy to be audible. Link was pointing at the door. That was when Revali noticed that Link had his bag packed onto his back. The Rito’s eyes shot open. 

“You could have waited for me to wake up,” Revali mumbled, leaning over the side of the bed to pack. Link frowned, shaking his head. He made two quick signs and Revali scowled at him. 

_ You. Stay. _

“Are you scared of me showing you up, hero? I knew it would happen sooner or later,” Revali sneered. Link shoved his shoulder, smiling. He shook his head then said he would be going to Death Mountain. The avian understood now, but he wasn’t pleased. His face scrunched in anger. The Hylian only frowned, reaching out to rest his hand on Revali’s wing. The avian’s heart rate quickened. 

“I’ll be back,” Link said. Revali swallowed hard as he looked into his companion’s eyes. They were red shot and watery. Revali already knew that Link did not sleep again. All he could do was give him a smirk, resorting to sarcasm to hide his worry. 

“Don’t burn up while you’re gone,” Revali taunted. Link let out a soft chuckle before leaning forward to wrap his arms around Revali’s shoulders. The Rito froze, his breath rapid from panic. He shakily put a wing around Link to return a half hug. He didn’t know how to respond to the situation since he had not mentally prepared for it whatsoever. He was a mess. 

Link pulled away, giving Revali a big goofy smile. The avian rolled his eyes in return, shooing the Hylian away as he quietly tried to control his breathing and heart rate. Link turned to leave, giving him a soft wave before shutting the door behind him. He flopped back down onto his bed, still grateful that Ritos didn’t blush. 

\----

The festival the Zora had prepared for Mipha was a bit overwhelming, to say the least. Her people had ushered her out of her room at the break of dawn, dressing her in new jewelry fit for a Zora princess. It was similar to the ones she had lost in Ruta, but it felt...flashier. Her new tiara now adorned opals, which sparkled in the morning sun and reflected on the ground around her feet. She cringed silently, but she smiled in appreciation as the jewelers waited for her response. Her father sat in his throne with a proud smile on his face as the Zora continued to decorate her. A new choker, a royal Zora sash to replace her Champion’s cloth, even an aiguillette to match her brother’s. Sidon leaned down from her side to examine it, giving her his signature grin as he pointed to his own. She smiled back, showing her sharp teeth as her assistants finally shuffled away from her to examine their work. 

Her chest felt heavy as she looked around. The tension could have been cut with a sword as everyone stared at her. Sidon, oblivious to how their people waited for Mipha to make the first move, scooped her up into a hug. He carried her to their father, who leaned down to pull both of them into a family hug. The heaviness in her chest finally lifted as she hugged her family back, a silent tear falling down her face. While the passage of time for her had only been two weeks, she cried for them. A hundred years without her, grieving, she could not imagine how they must have felt. 

When King Dorephan released his children, Muzu signaled the festival to begin, gesturing for the Zora in the throne room to scatter. Cheering filled the Domain as everyone enjoyed the festivals. There were waterfall dives as sports, dancing, and so much food that Mipha felt sick seeing how much the chefs constantly poured out to their people. 

She stayed in the throne room with her family, Sidon rambling about the past hundred years, when more Zora came in cheering loudly. They were following an awfully irritated Revali, whose glare could cut through glass. 

“Do any of you value privacy around here?! Knock it off, you nuisances!” he yelled at them, flapping his wings at his audience. They all clapped at the soft gale he had created, causing the Rito to scream in frustration as he stormed up to the Zora family. “I have been followed around all morning! I almost miss when everyone distrusted me. At least I could hear my own thoughts.”

“Come now, young one! This is a time for celebration, we must enjoy the time we have for the day!” Sidon said, scooping Revali into a strong hug. He squawked and struggled in the Zora prince’s grip, cursing at them all as the royal family laughed. 

“My dear Mipha,” she turned to see her father smiling, “perhaps you should go enjoy the festival now. We have all the time in Hyrule to talk now that we are all reunited.”

Mipha gave him a soft smile as she nodded. She did a quick curtsy before walking off, Revali following behind, fuming. 

The Zora princess had been a bit disappointed that Link decided to miss it, but she also remembered festivals like this had never been either of their things. She had briefly questioned Revali about it before the festival began; he assumed that the antisocial part of Link had stayed with him even with his memories scattered. Mipha knew better than to assume that Revali enjoyed these types of events himself, but she knew he attended for her sake. Otherwise, he would have been wandering the Lanayru region to kill time until Link’s return.

She had watched him through the whole festival, using it as a way to distract him. However, his face was melancholy, but when he noticed she was staring, he would give her a strained grin. She knew him well enough that he could not hide that he missed the Hylian, but would never admit it out loud. He was too stubborn for his own good, and Mipha wished she could steal some of that stubbornness for herself. 

When it was nearing the end of the day, Mipha sat at the end of the long banquet table, surrounded by her fellow Zora continue to laugh and celebrate her return. It was the final event of the festival, and she watched a line form down the side of the table. She gave each Zora each a smile as they approached her, whether it was to hug her, thank her, cry, or gift her with shiny trinkets she did not necessarily need but loved all the same. 

She could feel Revali’s eyes on her and glanced up at him. She had not noticed her shoulders had begun to slump the longer she interacted with everyone.

“Not to interrupt the mood, Mipha--” he said, leaning over to her from his seat once the line had disappeared. “But Vah Ruta may need to be properly prepared for Link’s assault onto the castle. It would be wise to do that sooner rather than later,” 

She could feel the corners of her mouth twitch. It would not be inappropriate to excuse themselves. She loved her people, but this festival was starting to drill into her introversion the longer she forced herself to interact with such a large group. She feared that if she stayed any longer, she would no longer be able to bury her emotions for the sake of her people. She had to be strong for them, but she needed a moment. She stood up and immediately the chatter of the room ended, all eyes turning to her. 

“Thank you all for the amazing festival. However, as a champion of Hyrule, I must step away to continue my duty to this kingdom. I will be setting out to pilot Vah Ruta one last time to help prepare for the final fight with Ganon. Everyone, please continue to enjoy their night in my absence.” 

Mipha bowed as everyone cheered for her and Revali as they walked off. As they passed her father’s seat, he looped his finger around her thin arm. He gently pulled her closer as he leaned down to her height. 

“I love you, my dear. Please be safe,”

She smiled, “I love you too, father.”

\----

Piloting Vah Ruta had always come easy to the Zora princess. She knew her natural talent had always sent a spark of jealousy through Revali as he watched her connect to the beast with ease. She controlled it with such grace as it jolted alive, shaking both of them. For being such a ginormous creature, it was as graceful as the princess had she piloted it up the river to the mountain. 

“I know you well enough that this was not the only reason you pulled me away,” Mipha said softly to the avian, giving him a small smile. Revali pouted, looking away from her as he folded his wings in front of him. He only shook his head. 

It was silent between them as they rode Ruta up the mountainside. It wasn’t long until they sat on the perfect vantage point, aiming for Hyrule Castle. The beast roared as it fired its homing laser, the princess smiling. Mipha assumed that the Divine Beast would disobey her at first, but she should have known better. She had attached to the beast when she had first laid eyes onto it, as well as control it before she was even a champion. Ruta had always been her safe space until--

The memory of her death once again flashed through her mind. She disconnected from the machine and glanced over to Revali, who was standing propped against the wall. He opened his eyes and scowled back at her, gesturing for them to get out. Mipha sighed, following him down the exit of the beast. 

The sky was clear that night. Every star in the night sky shined brightly as they stepped onto the mountain, careful not to slip into the small pool of water Mipha had parked Ruta. The mountain was slick but it was nothing they couldn’t maneuver as they found a spot away from Ruta to sit. Mipha laid down and stretched her short limbs as she traced the constellations above. She could easily pick out the Loftwing, one of Link’s favorites that he had shown her when they were kids. She tried to point out the constellation to Revali but he was staring at the castle. His knees were to his chest as his eyes glazed over, his breathing slow. She watched as his head slowly turned to see Medoh in the far distance perched, firing its own homing aim at the castle across the sky. Mipha sat up, resting her hand on his shoulder as he looked at her with a soft expression, one that she was not used to seeing from him.

“What was the Zora tradition again with the armor?” he muttered, though she was certain he knew the answer. She looked away from him, laying back down to trace the stars as she recited the age-old tradition.

“The Miracle of the White Scale is what started the tradition. A Zora king in the distant past who had been ill-suited for fighting was to lead an army to fight a horde of Lizalfos. His queen, knowing this, made him armor crafted from her scales that he would wear into battle. It ultimately saved his life. Because of this, female Zora make their future husbands armor with the white scales only they possess.” 

Revali was silent. They did not look at each other, but Mipha heard Revali shift beside her, using his elbows to prop himself up. 

“Why does Link fit into the armor perfectly?” 

She did not miss the hurt that shook his voice. 

“It’s,” she paused, looking over to see his eyes. They were soft as they watched her, narrowed. “Complicated,”

“I thought you and Zelda--”

“I know.” she cut him off. She sat back up. She looked over the edge of the mountain and pointed over to the Domain. In the distance sat a large waterfall off to the left of the Domain. In the center glowed a shrine, “Did you know that was where I took Sidon to learn how to scale waterfalls?”

“Mipha, that’s not what--”

“Zelda had come to meet me there when I had been training him. She came to ask me personally if I would like to pilot Vah Ruta. Of course, I accepted. It is my duty as a Zora princess to protect my people and the citizens of Hyrule. She had come often before for political reasonings, but once she asked me if I would pilot Vah Ruta, she stayed with me. I took Sidon home and we had spent all day there. We talked about her research with the Divine Beasts but then more personal interests. She was quite knowledgeable about our culture and was open to learning more.”

A pang of nostalgia ran through her chest. She touched the scar softly, which burned as she spoke, before continuing. 

“I had been too distressed to immediately tell you what had happened, but I assumed you and I would have more time to talk.” 

Revali watched her as she started to recall the story.

_ Her attempt to give Link the Zora armor had been a failure. She had called him away from the Domain, healing his hurt arm as she spoke to him about their past. Eventually, she showed him the armor she had strived on for the past months. She had been too embarrassed to explain herself to him, but as she held it out to him, she watched as his face fell from its emotionless stare. He shook his head, signing that he did not deserve it. That it was not meant for him. They both knew better. But she tried to reason with him, stating that it would fit him perfectly. That she had made it for  _ him.  _ But he declined, giving her a sad look as he walked ahead of her back to the Domain.  _

_ It was there that she met Zelda waiting for her at her bedroom doors.  _

_ She stood there with her arms crossed, her eyebrows twitching in anger as she watched Mipha approach her. She narrowed her eyes at the princess as she gestured to Mipha’s room. The Zora knew she was in trouble without the Hylian princess speaking a word.  _

_ Once inside, Zelda immediately stormed away from Mipha, pacing the room. Mipha did not move from the entranceway, shutting the door behind her as she watched the princess pace. She was mumbling to herself, shooting a glare Mipha’s way now and then. It made the Zora flinch when seeing the fire in Zelda’s eyes. She wanted to almost run, but she knew she had to face the consequences. Finally, the Hylian princess stopped in the middle of the room, her back facing Mipha. The Zora slowly approached but kept her distance in case Zelda decided to angrily whip around to face her.  _

_ “You healed Link’s arm today,” Zelda muttered. Mipha watched as she took a deep breath, her shoulders shaking in anger.  _

_ “Yes,” Mipha could not stop trembling, her voice one octave higher than its normal tone. She fidgeted with her hands as she took a step towards the princess, swallowing her fear as Zelda continued.  _

_ “Did you give him the Zora armor as well?”  _

_ Mipha looked at her feet, shifting the weight from one to the other. She knew that Zelda knew the answer, Link more than likely telling her what had happened while out with her. She could not look up, only down at her hands.  _

_ “Do you love him?” Zelda continued. That was when Mipha snapped her head up, approaching Zelda to put a hand on her shoulder. The princess did not nudge it away, but her body stiffened from the touch.  _

_ “Zelda, how could you say that?” Mipha whispered. Her voice cracked. She was struggling not to cry. She swallowed hard, “you know that armor was meant for you.” _

_ Zelda suddenly turned to her, her face twisting with rage. The princess of Hyrule never cried, Mipha knew this. She knew that Zelda would turn her pain into outrage and snap at anyone near her if it meant no one would see her cry. To see a weakness of hers. But as Zelda’s lips quivered, Mipha knew that she was still holding back. The Zora princess had hurt her, but she would not cry. She could not.  _

_ “You know I can’t wear it,” the Hylian princess’s voice was low as she glared at Mipha, “politics have been unstable as we approach the return of the Calamity, I cannot afford to--” _

_ “I didn’t do this for politics, Zelda!” Mipha held her hands to Zelda’s chest, but the princess grabbed her wrists, trying to push the Zora away. Mipha stood her ground, planting her feet to the ground as she continued, “I made it to protect you!” _

_ Zelda threw Mipha’s hands off of her as she took a step back, “Yet you’ll give it to someone else so readily.” _

_ “N-No, Zelda please don’t you see!” Mipha rested her hands on Zelda’s shoulders, despite the princess’s protests. “If I can’t be your knight...then I have to make sure Link is safe. If that is my only way to protect you, to ensure your safety, then I will help him in any way I can.” _

_ Zelda was silent. She was looking down at her feet, scowling. Mipha could see she was biting her inner cheek as she thought, and she could not stay away anymore. Mipha stood on her toes to leave a soft peck on Zelda’s lips, but her kiss was not reciprocated. Instead, the princess closed her eyes, turning away from the Zora. Mipha’s heart ached as she pulled the princess into a hug, resting her head against the taller woman’s chest.  _

_ “Zelda, please, speak to me.” _

_ Zelda struggled against her before her body went limp in her arms, resting her cheek against the Zora’s head. She stood there with her arms at her side, shaking. It was an awkward position, but Mipha refused to let her go. Her princess was stubborn, but she knew her well enough. Zelda needed this, even if she would never admit it. Everything she knew about emotions was seen as a weakness. Even her love for the Zora princess. Mipha knew this. Therefore, she would hold Zelda for as long as she could.  _

_ Until she finally pushed her away.  _

_ She refused to meet Mipha’s eyes as she stepped out of the room without another word, leaving Mipha standing by herself as she cried in her hands.  _

“I did not know that would be the last time I ever spoke to her properly,” Mipha mumbled as she finished. She wiped the tears from her face. She could feel Revali’s gaze on her but she refused to look away from the sky. She traced a new constellation. It was the dragon of Wisdom and the spirit of ice, Naydra. Its long constellation led Mipha’s eyes through the sky, making an odd zigzag as she traced it. The constellation reminded her of Zelda, for it was said that Naydra was the guardian of the Spring of Wisdom. The last spring Zelda visited. Mipha could feel tears begin to fall heavily as she sat up, trying to wipe them away faster than they fell. 

She missed her princess. Their last interaction had left her feeling empty and alone. She did not know if Zelda could ever forgive her for what she had done. She felt Revali’s wing wrap around her as she cried. She buried her face into her chest as he held her. She had held Link the night before, now it was her turn to be cared for. 

“I wonder if she has thought of me,” Mipha mumbled into Revali’s chest. She knew she should not feel like this. She was being selfish. Zelda has been fighting Ganon for a hundred years, and she was wondering if the princess had thought of her? It was almost laughable how pathetic she was being. She was waiting for the sarcastic comment along the same lines as that from Revali, but he only nodded as he rested his head over hers. 

“She had been there for a hundred years, I’m sure she had a lot of time to think,” Revali mumbled as he looked to the castle. Mipha did not know what she wanted to hear, but his words made her feel bittersweet. She nodded, pulling away to dry her leftover tears. She coughed a bit as she tried to smile up at the Rito, but his face was full of concern. It was rare to see this side of Revali, the side that cared for and loved unconditionally. She was grateful that he trusted her with his vulnerability. 

It made her remember her conversation with Link the night before, how he had confided in her while he was at his most vulnerable. She was trapped between these two men who refused to acknowledge their feelings for each other but would come to her for advice even after a hundred years. She could not stay silent this time, especially since Link asked her to talk to him. 

“I heard you’ve been giving Link mixed signals,” she said, wiping away the remaining tears on her face. Revali whipped his head towards her, his face twisting with too many emotions for the Zora to keep up with. He settled with his eyebrows furrowing deep as he scowled at her, causing her to giggle.

“Last time I checked, we were talking about  _ your _ feelings, not mine.” Revali scoffed, pulling away from her. She laughed as she rested her head on his wing, feeling the warmth emitting from it.

“I was asked to speak to you about this, however, so I must keep my word,”

Revali was silent as Mipha thought over her next words. Revali trusted her, but being too upfront would push him away. She needed to be careful.

“He’s different,” Mipha whispered, “I don’t know how but he doesn’t feel the same.

“He lost his memories so of course, he isn’t the same. He knows who we are, that we all shared a past, but the details won’t return to him so easily.”

Mipha nodded, “Is that why you are having difficulty expressing how you feel towards him again?”

Revali paused, “Yes. I don’t want to overwhelm him. He is an idiot, and only Hylia knows how much of a disaster he is. But I know how confused I felt returning to this world. It felt different, new, and I still retained my memories. I can’t imagine how it must be for him.” 

Mipha felt Revali shift as he continued, “But-- he’s been given a new chance at life. Without the pressure of all of Hyrule watching over him, he can express himself freely. I’m sure you’ve seen him smile now more than you ever did before,” he chuckled, “I suppose I can no longer deny the truth. His new annoyingly cute attitude makes me happy. I don’t want to pressure him to remember our past together, I may hurt him more than I already have.”

“Perhaps he will remember more as we spend time with him,” Mipha reassured, smiling up at him. Revali gave her a small smile back.

“I can only hope. If I have to repeat every cringe-worthy action that led up to us, I’d rather stay trapped inside Medoh.” 

Mipha rolled her eyes at him, nudging his wing a bit. She saw Revali wince, reaching over his right shoulder to rub it aggressively. The Zora cocked her head when Revali noticed she had seen him, immediately pulling his wing back with his eyes wide. 

“Is something else troubling you, dear friend?” Mipha asked. 

Revali sighed, “I was shot with an arrow while traveling to the Domain. It has healed significantly but it’s been itching all day. I assume it’s from the scabbing, but you can check if you want.”

Mipha knew by now that his “if you want”s meant  _ Revali  _ wanted her to check, but he couldn’t even phase it like that. She nodded, scooting on her knees behind him. She lifted his armor and shirt over his head to examine the scab and--

There was an eye staring back at her. 

A scream caught in Mipha’s throat. 

A large yellow eye grew from her friend’s shoulder, darting around now that it was freed. It was surrounded by malice, twisting black and red that was embedded into Revali’s back. It reached to the middle of his back with such a disgusting leathery texture, Mipha knew it was the same texture as her scar. She started hyperventilating, crawling away from the Rito. Revali looked back at her, rolling his eyes. 

“Oh come now, it should nearly be healed now. It should be nothing you’re not used to,” 

Mipha struggled to speak. She could only stare in shock as the eye stared back at her, narrowing. Revali sighed, reaching to put his shirt back on to cover it. She reached out to stop him and he turned to scold her. He stopped, seeing the fear in her eyes. He dropped the shirt as he narrowed his eyes, searching hers for an answer. 

“What’s wrong, Mipha?” his voice was soft. It shook ever so slightly as the princess took a deep breath, her eyes glancing back at her friend’s back. The eye was watching her, glaring. She shot her head away, focusing on Revali. 

“We need to send word for Link. We may not have as much time as we thought.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey all! don't forget to leave a kudos and comment if you've enjoyed the story so far. i know i have forgotten to say that before, but it's now or never right? 
> 
> the flashback scene is very inspired by a short zelpha comic by @/asailorsoldier on twitter. they are an amazing artist, please check them out!
> 
> link to the comic: https://twitter.com/asailorsoldier/status/1065435301152079873?s=21


	8. Chapter 8

Link stood on top of the Eldin Tower, tracing his eye from Hyrule Castle to Vah Ruta. He hadn’t been outside of Lanayru for long before he heard the roar of the beast as it ascended the mountains of the region. He stared at the beast, his mind returning to Revali. He had been gone for two weeks now, and he had not adjusted to traveling alone again yet. He often looked to the sky to search for the Rito champion surveying the area, only to be met with a sky filled with only clouds. He was being careless, he needed to focus on his mission. Two weeks was far too much time to have passed considering Eldin and Lanayru bordered each other. He had got sidetracked, many shrines and monsters interfering with his journey, though he did not mind the former. He only wanted to be reunited with the Rito as soon as possible. He did not miss the emptiness that sat in his chest as he explored this destroyed kingdom while his memories failed him. 

He turned to face Death Mountain, the heat of the region threatening to burn his eyebrows off. He watched as the salamander shaped Divine Beast patrolled the side of the mountain with its long awkward limbs. He knew he needed to go, but he glanced back at Ruta. He didn’t know what was stopping him. He held his hand out, wishing for the warmth of the Rito champion’s feathers to tangle in his fingers despite the scorching heat of the Eldon region. He hoped when he returned from Death Mountain, he would have answers to Revali’s mixed emotions towards him. Maybe it would help him sort his own emotions out as well. Then again, perhaps if he stalled returning, he could learn it by himself through his traveling. There was no rush, after all. 

He sighed, deciding that it would be best to complete his task as soon as possible. Revali and Mipha were waiting for him, as well as Zelda. They have been patient with him for a hundred years, he knew he should not linger any more than he already has. However, he still dragged his feet as he approached the edge of the tower to descend into the region. 

\----

The blight screeched as Link landed the final blow against it. Its body melted away into a Goron shape, landing hard against the Rudania’s floor. Link ran over to welcome the champion back, but Daruk remained still. His body sprawled out like a corpse, his mouth slightly agape. Link froze as he stared at the motionless body of the Goron. Had...he been too late somehow?

He laid down next to Daruk’s body, closing his eyes. He threw his helmet to the side in frustration, hoping that the rest of his armor protected him enough from the volcanic heat. He rubbed his palms against his eyes until he saw stars. He wanted to cry, but he couldn’t. He didn’t know this man, not anymore. Perhaps the past Link would have been crying, screaming, anything. But Link was not the person he was in the past. He could feel his body going numb. What was he supposed to do now? Without Daruk, the Divine Beast wouldn’t function. He didn’t even want to think about the looks Revali and Mipha gave him when he returned without the Goron. He had failed them once again. 

He ran his hands through his hair, gripping it tightly in frustration. There was nothing he could do. He needed to leave, but his legs refused to listen to him. So, he laid there. 

A loud belch came from the lifeless body. 

Link jumped to his feet, his face stunned as he stared at the body. The Goron was itching his stomach as he looked over to smile at Link. 

“Hey, little guy, did we win? I gotta assume we did since we’re just sunbathin’ here.” Link gapped at him as the Goron guffawed. “Say, you haven’ seen my chain around here, have ya? Coulda swore it was on me while I was fighting that monster,” he said patting his chest. He hummed in confusion as he looked down at his chest, seeing two large diagonal scars. He poked at them, sending a confused look to Link as the Hylian reached out his hand to the Goron. Daruk leaned forward to accept his hand. 

Link noticed that Daruk’s right arm was missing. 

If it weren’t for the malice colored skin around his shoulder, anyone could have guessed that Daruk was simply born without a right arm. Daruk furrowed his eyebrows, glancing over to his shoulder. His eyes went wide as he patted his shoulder as if he expected the arm to magically grow back if he touched it. 

“Guess I….got a little banged up, huh,” he said, trying to smile. Link struggled to smile back, his lips quivering as he tried. The Goron put his giant hand onto Link’s shoulders, grinning. “I know I know, that monster really got me. Took me out before I even had a chance. But I’m up and at ‘em now, little guy.”

Link shook his head, but Daruk did not say anything. They stood there in silence as the light of Zelda’s powers engulfed them, sending them back to Goron City. Bludo was standing in front of them as they appeared. He jumped back in fear before his back cracked loudly, leaving him stiff. 

“What’re ya doing scaring an old man like that?! Don’t ya know it’s too early in the morning-- eh?” Bludo stared at Daruk, pointing a large finger in his face. “Who’s ya friend here? He looks like the statue of Daruk!”

Daruk laughed awkwardly as he scratched the back of his head, Link finally able to return a smile.

Daruk was dragged to the inn while Link explained the situation to Bludo, who had given Link Daruk’s Boulder Breaker as a gift to Daruk. The chief was confused, but Link was not expecting the Gorons to understand the situation fully. Hylia, he barely understood it himself. He dumbed it down as much as he could, which only frustrated Bludo. In the end, he gave up on the details, explaining that he needed to check on Daruk. He pinched the bridge of his nose as he mumbled to the goddesses for strength. He could only guess this was how Revali felt dealing with his nonsense. 

The Goron champion insisted he felt fine when Link came to visit him, but once the initial rush of being released drained from his body, the Hylian could see him somewhat struggling. He slumped back into the rocky bed, grumbling. Link smiled at him, patting his arm. He took Daruk’s favorite weapon off his back and set it next to the Goron’s bed. Daruk gave him a huge mischievous smile as he pushed himself up, easily picking up the weapon in his one hand. He tried to swing it in the limited space but smashed several pots nearby and almost took out Link, who luckily jumped out of the way in time. The innkeeper yelled at him, but Daruk only laughed as he placed the weapon back down. 

“So how’re the other champions doin’? I’m gonna guess those monsters really packed a punch to take down the mighty Daruk,” he glanced over at his right shoulder, frowning, “it’s weird to see you without the tiny princess too. How’s she doing?” 

Link’s head reeled as he tried to process Daruk’s questions. He had spent so much time with Revali, he had almost forgotten that Daruk would not realize it had been a hundred years. The Hylian looked down at his hands, squeezing them. Daruk hummed as his eyebrows furrowed. He reached out to pat Link, almost knocking him over even with his softest attempt. 

“Little guy, what--”

He was cut off by a loud gasp from behind them. Link turned around to see the smaller Goron Yunobo in the doorway, trembling. His eyes were watering as he clung to the chain around his body for dear life. Daruk sat up, kicking his tiny legs over the side of the bed. He gestured for Yunobo to come closer. The younger Goron shuffled his feet over to them, taking a seat in a chair next to Link's. Yunobo’s face was petrified as he stared at the Goron champion. 

“Lord Daruk, it _is_ you, goro…” he said in awe. He held out a shaky hand to the champion, who took it with ease. Daruk smiled at him as he continued, “I’m Yunobo, your...grandson.”

Daruk tilted his head in confusion, looking to Link for answers. Link did not meet his gaze, fidgeting with his fireproof armor. It clinked against the rocky ground as he tapped his foot nervously. 

“That’d explain the fine lookin’ pendent around ya,” Daruk said, pointing to Yunobo’s chain. Link glanced at the young Goron, and sure enough, it had the symbol for Daruk’s Protection on it.

Yunobo gasped, lifting the chain off of him to hand it to the Goron champion, “I’m terribly sorry! I inherited it as well as your Champion cloth. I-I’d like to r-return it now,”

Daruk laughed, patting the young Goron. Yunobo sniffled as he stared at Daruk, then the hand on his shoulder. 

“You inherited it, you said? Then it’s yours, I can always get another one! I’m sure the tiny princess can make me a new cloth once we see her.”

Yunbo turned to Link, “Did you...not explain that it’s been a hundred years, goro?” he whispered to Link. Daruk hummed as he glanced between the two, nodding. 

“I knew somethin’ was up as soon as ya rushed me away, little guy. Plus, that statue!” Daruk smiled as he gestured to it outside of the inn, “no one makes something that mighty unless someone died!”

Link cringed, remembering the statue of Mipha in Zora Domain. 

“But...a hundred years? Who woulda guessed it’s been that long,” he turned to Link with a sad expression, “the princess isn’ okay, is she?”

Link finally looked up, shaking his head. He told Daruk the story so far, slowing his hands down once it was clear the Goron was struggling to keep up with what Link was signing. The Hylian watched Daruk’s expression change through the story, it was almost like he was reacting to a play. When he was done, the Goron only nodded and smiled. 

“Well then, we should be on our way then, we should get up to Rudania!” Link went to sit him back down, but Daruk had already jumped up. He walked to the door and down the pathway with ease, causing all the Gorons to freeze as he walked by. Link pinched the bridge of his nose again as he chased at Daruk, grabbing the arm of the Goron. He was much harder to control than Revali had been. Yunobo ran after them, panting as he caught up. 

“P-Please Lord Daruk! If you insist on going, I’d feel a lot better if you took this with you,” Yunobo managed to pant out, once again taking the chain off from around him. Daruk held out his hand to reject it, but Yunbo continued, “t-think of it as a...a l-loan! You can return it once you are back, goro!”

Daruk grinned, “I’ll accept that,” he said as he took the chain, throwing it onto his body. Yunobo handed him the Champion cloth as well but Daruk shook his head, “You keep that. Say it’s a gift from ya grandpa Daruk,”

Yunobo was petrified as he held the cloth in his hands, before making a high pitched squeaking noise as he tied it back around his shoulders. Daruk gave him a thumbs-up as he turned to continue down the path that led up the mountain. Link groaned as he followed the Goron champion, waving goodbye to Yunobo. 

\----

Daruk acted proud and unstoppable, but once they were inside Rudania once again, he was drawing a blank. He stared at the control unit, his body trembling slightly. He turned to Link, who stood next to him with crossed arms. 

“So, uh...how do ya say I do this?” Daruk asked, scratching his beard. Link shrugged. He could not make heads or tails of these Divine beasts but watching how Revali connected with it even after a hundred years, it couldn’t be too difficult. Then again, Revali had both of his limbs. Daruk shrugged back, “I guess I’ll just do what ya told me before, by wingin’ it!”

Link did not have time to tell the Goron that he did not remember saying that before Daruk slammed his fist down on the control unit. It lit up blue as he touched it, the Divine Beast roaring in response. Daruk let out a belly laugh, waving his arm. Vah Rudania responded by climbing the mountain with ease, making its odd chirps now and then. When at the top of Death Mountain, its face opened (which made Link cringe) and fired its homing aim. Daruk pumped his fist up as he disconnected from the beast, clapping Link onto the back. The Hylian flew forward, almost tumbling onto the ground. 

“So, where to now?”

Link balanced himself. He stared out into the distance at Vah Ruta, smiling. He would be able to see Revali once again. He could feel his heart pounding against his chest at the thought of seeing the Rito. He was so focused on the thought of seeing Revali, he had almost forgotten that he should tell Daruk where they were headed. He took his Sheikah Slate out and pointed to the Lanayru Region.

“Alright then, little guy! Zora Domain here we come!” 

\----

It was clear that once they were on the road, Daruk was not doing as well as he tried to act. He struggled to walk, making many stops to take a breather. Link had slowed his walk to the Goron’s pace as they made their way through Death Mountain. But luckily he could still swing his Boulder Breaker with ease, taking monsters out with ease. They decided to stop at Foothill Stable for the night, which would have been an annoyance for Link to be traveling so slow if it weren’t for the handicapped Daruk. The Goron preferred to sleep outside of the stable on a bed of rocks that sat under a small barren tree, so Link joined him until it was time for him to rest as well. 

“I tell ya, those tiny beds they have there would stand no chance against me. They’d break under me in a snap,” Daruk said, patting the rocks, “plus it’ll save ya some rupees!”

Daruk let out a loud laugh, earning him a glare from a stablehand. Link gave the stablehand an apologetic smile and wave. 

“So, ya never got to tell me how the other champions are,” Daruk said, his expression growing serious. Link stared at him, his gaze slowly leading him back to Daruk’s shoulder. He had attempted to wrap it with some spare cloth, but the malice that lived underneath was still visible. He thought of Revali’s round scar that sat in the middle of his chest, as well as Mipha’s long horizontal one. He wondered how it felt to have malice embedded in their bodies. Link pretended not to notice, but he saw when the scar bothered Revali during certain nights. How he clung to his chest, panting. He worried about the Rito and how the scar would affect their future together.

He froze. 

Did they have a future together? 

He felt his face grow warm. He thought about what would happen after they defeated Ganon. Of course, they would need to focus on rebuilding the kingdom. Zelda would take over as ruler of Hyrule with him as her appointed knight. But, after that….he could settle down in Hateno. Or...even Rito Village? He wondered what Revali would think if he told him that. The Rito might scoff at him and tell him to leave him alone. Or would he welcome the Hylian? Link didn’t know. He wanted to know. He dared to fight for this kingdom with only a few memories of his past, but he didn’t dare to speak to the Rito about what he was feeling. All he knew was that he felt drawn to Revali and he couldn’t explain why. Maybe they had a past together and it was him subconsciously wanting to reconnect. He wouldn’t know if he didn’t ask. Perhaps he should ask when they get to Zora Domain.

Daruk nudged him gently. He didn’t realize he had been zoning out. Link shook himself out of his thoughts, giving Daruk a small smile. He reassured him that Revali and Mipha were safe in the Zora Domain, but Urbosa was yet to be saved. 

Daruk scratched at his chin, nodding, “I also noticed you are missing that fancy sword of yours too, little guy,”

Link frowned, once again tapping his foot. Truthfully, Link had attempted to retrieve the sword from the Lost Woods long before he had rescued Revali. He had gotten lost while exploring, ending up in Korok Forest before he realized it. It did not budge from the pedestal it was placed in when Link pulled at it with his full strength. He could feel his life draining from his body as he pulled before the Great Deku Tree commanded him to stop. 

_ “You are not ready yet, boy. Come back when you have reached your full potential.” _

The tree’s words echoed in his head as he recalled what had happened to Daruk. The Goron’s face was neutral as he took in Link’s words. If he weren’t for the occasional hums, Link would have guessed the Goron was not listening. When he had finished, Daruk only patted his back. It was clear he didn’t know what to say, there wasn’t much  _ to _ say. He didn’t know what his full potential would be, though he didn’t know a lot as is. 

He wished his memories would return in full to save him the trouble of giving himself a headache from thinking too hard. He had to deal with the scrambled bits and pieces that would come to him when he was least expecting it. He recalled seeing a Hyrule flag on his trip to Death Mountain. How his body shut down as he stared at it intently. Why did it happen when he was most vulnerable, and not when he spoke with Mipha or Revali? He bawled his fists, Daruk once again patting his back. 

“I know you are lost in lotta thoughts right now, little guy. But ya gotta think about it in a good way, like me!” he patted his right shoulder, “I know those smart Zora will know what to do with this, maybe even give me a new temporary arm! Wouldn’ that be somethin’?”

Link knitted his eyebrows as he looked at Daruk, who once again had his big goofy smile. He now knew how Revali must feel seeing him try to smile all the time for the Rito’s sake. Link was surprised to see how Daruk was handling the situation. He was smiling like nothing had happened, patting Link’s back as he laughed. The Hylian could not stop himself from asking the one question on his mind. 

“How...are you okay with this?” Link whispered. He had hoped Daruk had not heard him, but from the way the Goron wrapped his one arm around the Hylian, he knew better. The Goron tried his best to rub Link’s back as he let out a soft chuckle. 

“I remember dying, little guy. It was...enough to shake even me up. But I can’t let it get to me. I have to be strong for you kids, remember?” 

Link let out a soft gasp, his eyes tearing up a bit. He rested his head against the Goron’s large belly before Daruk could see him cry. Of course, he knew the Goron knew better. 

Maybe he needed to take some advice from Daruk. 

\----

Link was once again welcomed to the Zora Domain by several whispers from all around him. It felt odd knowing that Mipha was freed and somehow the Zora were cautious around him. This would be the second time the Hylian entered the Domain with a champion who was presumed dead after all. Not only that, but Daruk was also smiling and waving at all of the Zora with a missing arm. Perhaps awe would be a better word than caution. 

Mipha and Revali were nowhere to be seen, but Sidon was the one who welcomed them. The Zora prince was missing his usual cheerful enthusiasm. It was replaced with both awe and concern. 

“Dear sir, you are missing an arm! We must have you escorted to the infirmary immediately!” Sidon exclaimed, grabbing Daruk’s remaining arm to drag them across the Domain. Daruk was persistent that he was fine, but Sidon did not let up, glancing at Link. His expression was....unreadable. But it did not look good. 

“I assume our message did not reach you,” Sidon muttered. Link gave him a confused look. The Zora prince gave him a strained smile, which made Link’s heart sink.  _ What happened? _

Mipha was on Link as soon as the door to the infirmary opened. She jumped to wrap her arms around his neck, burying her face into his shoulder. He held her as he heard her mumbling into his shoulder at a rapid speed, he could barely understand what she was saying. But he knew when he looked up to see Revali laying in bed. He put her down as he rushed over to the Rito, almost falling over himself. 

Revali wheezed as he opened his eyes, still managing a sheer. 

“Well now, the hero has finally decided to return then.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> on't forget to leave a kudos or comment if you enjoyed it! we're finally going back to Revali's POV after this :)


	9. Chapter 9

When Mipha and Revali returned to the Zora Domain, they silently agreed to not make this a public matter for Revali’s sake. He had gone numb when the Zora told him about the malice on his back. He stared into the distance, his face frozen in a state of both terror and disgust. He let his eyes trace the dark clouds of malice that circled Hyrule Castle. He didn’t know how long he sat in silence. Mipha had moved to sit on his left, her small arms wrapped around his wing. The chirping of crickets was the only noise in the night as they sat there until Mipha whispered to him that it was time to go home. His movements were sluggish, but he gave her a soft nod as they stood to descend the mountain. 

They consulted Sidon in how to send word for Link in secret. Sidon nodded, Revali grateful for the prince not asking questions. They acted as if nothing happened in public. If it weren’t for Mipha regularly checking on him before he went to bed and the intense itching he felt when he wore clothing, he almost would have believed it. The malice was spreading gradually down to his lower back and onto his right arm. It was to the point where he could see the golden eye in his reflection. He would glare at the eye in the mirror and it would glare back. Revali wondered if the thing had a mind of its own. 

Mipha wrapped the malice with bandages every morning. He appreciated her patience. He would sneak a glance at her scar for any developments daily, but hers was stagnant. It had barely moved since she had been released. She was lucky, for now. He knew it was a matter of time before she too would have to suffer. 

It was one afternoon when they heard the roar of a Divine Beast Rudania in the distance that Revali collapsed. He was barely conscious as Mipha ran him to the infirmary, barking orders at guards to clear a path and allow them privacy. She slammed the door behind her, running to place Revali gently onto the bed. Revali gave her a weak smile.

“I didn’t know you had the strength to carry me like that,” he sneered. Mipha let out a strained laugh as she rolled him onto his side. She unwrapped his bandages as quickly as she could, wincing at the site. The corruption moved rapidly down his back and right arm. She tried to use her healing powers to slow it, but it was no use. Revali gave her a tired look over his shoulder, rolling back over to check her scar. She attempted to cover it with her hand, but already he could see that it was spreading once again. 

“Please Revali, do not worry about me,”

He sat up, brushing her hand away to examine it. It was pulsing. It was climbing up her chest to her neck. She winced when she looked down, pulling her Zora sash over it. He could feel his own moving against his chest, rubbing against the fabric of his clothing. His body felt stiff as he wiggled out of his tunic, brushing Mipha off when she tried to help. He needed to do this himself. 

His scar was almost covering his whole chest now, reaching over his shoulder to connect with the malice on his back. He let out a bitter laugh, hitting the back of his head against the wall. He knew that simply being revived had been too  _ lucky _ . He had a chance to prove that he wasn’t a failure with a scar as a reminder That had been enough by itself. But life decided that a scar was not an acceptable punishment. It wanted to remind him that he had died by the hands of Ganon’s malice. He had failed Hyrule. And now that same malice would corrupt him because of his failure. He was becoming a monster. A vessel for Ganon’s malice. That’s what he assumed at least. He remembered the phantom had entered his body when he died. This is what it had done. He could only laugh as Mipha held him. His body went limp in her arms. Impa had been right. Ganon had cursed him. He knew he should have taken the old woman more seriously, but how would he have known this would happen?

“Isn’t this just perfect?” he mumbled out loud. Mipha only shook her head against his neck. 

The malice worsened over time. Revali stared at himself in the infirmary’s mirror. His left eye was no longer emerald. A smaller eye grew where his eyebrow would have been. They both glowed gold with slits as pupils. He couldn’t feel the smaller eye, but the larger one blinked when he did. The tips of the feathers on top of his head were fading from navy to a crimson red, the texture more similar to hair than feathers. He glared at his reflection, resisting the urge to shoot an arrow through it. He checked the eye on his back. He had given up wearing a shirt, letting the pest be free. It once again was glaring back at him in the mirror. He wondered what would happen if he stabbed it. He had tried once but Mipha stopped him before he could. 

He turned to Mipha, who sat on his bed. The malice had spread down her arms and up her neck. Her head and shoulder fins were just beginning to fade to the same hair like his. Her chest scar had turned her stomach black with red vein-like shapes spreading through her body. Her malice was spreading at a much slower pace than his. Perhaps that was because he was the first released. But it would be soon when her corruption reached the same level as his. 

Mipha stayed wrapped with his blanket to avoid seeing herself.

Revali willed himself to distract himself from ripping his skin off with his beak. 

They refused to leave the other’s side. When it came time to rest, Revali would lay his wing out as Mipha would crawl on top. He didn’t mind, but he would wake up with pins and needles in his wing. However, it turned into a nightly routine, Revali’s wings responding to the muscle memory of pulling her closer when Mipha would twitch and shiver in her sleep. 

“Why don’t you return to your room? The pond there must be warmer than this room,” he asked one night. He could hear her grumbling into the blanket before her head poked out the top. She looked exhausted. 

“If something were to happen to you during the night, I want to be by your side. As you mine.”

He grunted in response. He hadn’t thought of it like that, he almost made him feel foolish. But he sighed, pulling her blanket over her face and whispered a surly “goodnight.” This new routine reminded him of simpler nights a hundred years ago, nights he would spend with Link. If he closed his eyes, he could almost feel himself return to the past. But when he opened his eyes, only a cursed princess was in Link’s place. Though he did appreciate the slight comfort it gave him. 

Link had returned on a particularly bad day. Revali was forced into bed by Mipha after he paced until he collapsed under his feet. His body was burning. He wheezed as Mipha dragged him into bed. She offered him the blanket she used for shelter, which he declined. He didn’t miss the look of relief when he told her no. She sat at the edge of his bed, staring down at him with a melancholic expression. Revali closed his eyes. It was too silent, but neither of them dared to speak. It wasn’t until Link and Daruk entered the room did they move. 

Revali hated the look Link gave him. It was the same look he gave the avian in Rito Village while bedridden. He assumed that their message did not reach him by the way he stared. The avian sat up, glaring at the Hylian. Link backed away from him. Revali scoffed as he covered his malice eyes, Mipha resting a hand on his shoulder.

No one spoke. Daruk came to pull Mipha into a hug. She disappeared in his arm, her fin barely noticeable behind his biceps. Revali stared at Daruk’s shoulder, watching the malice pulse where his arm should have been. He should have been shocked, but after watching the corruption spread on him and Mipha, he only grimaced. He could hear Mipha crying against Daruk, the Goron mumbling in such a low voice only the princess could hear him. Revali sighed, finally making eye contact with Link. 

The Rito was still holding a wing over his left eyes but hesitantly lowered it. He jumped as the Hylian took his face in his hands, Revali’s heart skipping as Link brought his face close. Revali wanted to close his eyes, but seeing Link was inspecting them, he couldn’t. He looked over the Hylian’s shoulder to avoid eye contact, but he could not ignore how Link’s fingers felt tangled in his feathers. It gave him great relief to feel something so pleasant after weeks of his body burning and threatening to come undone. 

“Is there nothin’ we can do?” Daruk finally spoke up. Mipha stayed wrapped in Daruk’s arm, hiding behind it. 

“No, we’ve been impatiently waiting for the malice to corrupt us. As a matter of fact, I  _ enjoy _ looking this hideous,” Revali spat at the Goron. He could be nicer. He didn’t want to. He felt his defense mechanism kicking in as he scowled at the Goron, who frowned in response. He could see Mipha glaring at him from behind Daruk’s arm. If looks could kill, he would have been shot on the spot. Dying by the hands of a tiny Zora princess sounded better than by malice. 

Link looked down at his hands, signing slowly. He asked what they should do next. Revali hit his head against the wall again, groaning. He was the only one with common sense right now. 

“Don’t get distracted by this...minor inconvenience,” he gestured to himself. Link reached a hand to him, which he swatted away, “we have unfinished business.” 

Everyone watched him. Of course, now of all times, he was suddenly the most important champion and the leader. He puffed his chest out with fake pride. He managed a grin, standing up from the bed.

“Tomorrow, Link and I will make our way to Gerudo Town. We will free Divine Beast Naboris and Urbosa. Our Divine Beasts will be ready for Ganon when Link storms the castle--”

“Wait,” Mipha said, climbing out from under Daruk’s arm, “Revali, you shouldn’t be traveling unless necessary.”

“Tinier princess’s right,” Daruk said, nodding. His eyebrows knitted together as both his fellow champions stared at him. His expression was blank as his eyes darted between the two. He didn’t want to explain what his mindset was, but the look in Mipha’s eyes told him she knew. He smiled at them.

“I’d want to make sure our champion here doesn’t get cold feet last minute,” Revali sneered. Link glared at him but he ignored it, “it’d be a shame if he were to die before he reaches Ganon as well, wouldn’t it?” 

Mipha opened her mouth to protest, but Daruk rested a giant hand on her head. She stayed silent, pouting. They both knew his mind was made up. He turned to Link, who wasn’t protesting. He gave Revali a soft smile and a nod. 

“Then it’s settled. Tomorrow, we’ll leave at dawn.”

\----

It was the first time Revali had left the infirmary in weeks. He made sure Mipha wrapped his head with bandages before they left, covering the malice they best they could. The Zora people gaped at him as they watched him pace around the Domain, stopping in front of Mipha’s statue. He was glad he was getting to leave. He was tired of these shark people staring at him constantly. It wasn’t helping that Link stared at him more often now. He wished he could enjoy it, but it made him self aware of the malice. He knew the bandages couldn’t stay on forever, the malice itching intensely underneath. He would eventually need to either find new clothing to wear in public or let the malice free for everyone to see. He preferred the former. 

He glanced over to the blacksmith. Link and Daruk sat in there, watching as the Zora took measurements of the Goron’s shoulder. The Zora people annoyed him, but they were always honored when the champions requested something from them. When Daruk mentioned in passing that he thought they could craft him a new arm, they all but carried him to be measured. Link looked up to see Revali watching, waving at the avian. Revali’s heart jumped in his chest as he waved back. 

“I heard from a little birdie you were setting out tomorrow, champion,” 

Revali jumped, turning to see Sidon standing next to him. The Zora prince’s expression was blank as he observed Mipha’s statue. 

“I should have you assassinated for that joke alone,” Revali groaned. Sidon laughed as he patted the Rito’s back. Revali winced in pain, earning him an apologetic look from the prince. He forced a smile, “But, you’d be correct.” 

Sidon crossed his arms as he frowned, “I suppose I never thanked you for rescuing my sister.”

“You’re welcome,” Revali said, rolling his eyes, “though I doubt she’s happy about being rescued right now.”

Sidon only hummed in response.

They glanced over to the Veiled Falls. If Revali squinted, he could see a rough outline of red in the distance. The Zora princess left to visit the spot soon after they separated from the infirmary. She insisted no one follow her, even turning down Revali’s offer to escort her. 

“I wish there was more I could do,” Sidon murmured. Revali could hear how his voice cracked as he spoke. He sighed, rubbing his wing against the prince’s arm. Of course, he would be in the position to comfort people while he suffered the most. Under different circumstances, he would let himself be selfish. Melodramatic even. But he didn’t have the strength. He stayed silent as he and the prince stood in the empty clearing as the moon shone overhead.

\----

Revali debated packing. He knew if he went through with his plan once they rescued Urbosa, he would need his bag. But if his condition continued to go south… He shook his head. He didn’t want to think about that right now. He decided that his journal would be enough for now. He tucked it away in his hip pouch, turning to Link. The Hylian was already packed and ready to go, a brand new spear sticking out under his pack. Revali rolled his eyes as Link smiled at him. One more trip. He needed to make it count. 

He wrapped his wings tightly around Mipha before they left, her small but strong arms squeezing him in return. 

“Please be safe,” she whispered to him. 

“Oh you know me, I’m always safe. I’m the best after all,” he said, chuckling. He tried to ease himself back into his sarcastic self, but Mipha saw through him. She gave him a concerned glare as he grinned. He only nodded as they pulled away. Link was being spun around by Daruk, looking as if he was about to puke. When the Goron released him, he buckled over in pain. 

“When this is all over, I’m makin’ us all some delicious rock roast!” Daruk said, wrapping his arm around the two other champions. Mipha laughed nervously and Revali grimaced. 

“Please don’t, I’m already dying. I fear that might kill me a third time,” Revali sneered. Mipha glared at him, but Daruk laughed. Link’s face was expressionless as he stared at Revali. The avian nodded to him and they once again were on the road together. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> in which revali and mipha are wlw/mlm solidarity who love and support each other very much -- don't forget to leave a kudos and comment if you enjoyed!


	10. Chapter 10

Revali severely underestimated how scorching hot the desert would be. His body threatened to send him tumbling face-first into the sand as he took another swig of one of Link’s Chilly Elixirs, cooling him temporarily. The sun burned the uncovered malice on his shoulders. It felt as if the substance thrived this the desert heat. He cursed Ganon. He recalled the Gerudo legends Urbosa would tell the champions, how Ganon used to be Gerudo generations ago. Perhaps that’s why the malice felt like it was spreading faster. He was glad Link had lent him his Hylian hood early into their journey after Revali complained enough about the sun. 

The sight of the Gerudo Town entrance sent a wave of relief through Revali. He straightened his back, letting his confidence flood his body before he spoke with the guards. He didn’t want to look like he was about to pass out from the journey through the wastelands as a Hyrule champion, after all. Not to the Gerudo, who he respected greatly. They were the last people he wanted to show weakness around. Link, on the other hand, was absent-minded as they approached the guards. Revali watched him in the corner of his eye, hoping for some kind of expression, but there was nothing. His face soured for a moment before stepping forward to speak to the guards. 

“Sa...Sav’aaq,” he said, struggling to remember the Gerudo greetings Urbosa had taught him. It felt weird on his beak and it came out more as an inaudible sound. The guards stared at him. He cleared his throat, “we have business with your chief and we were hoping you’d be so kind to--”

“No.”

“Pardon?”

The guard on the right slammed her spear down into the sand, “no voe is to step foot into this town. That is the rule of the Gerudo!”

Revali’s eyes darted to each guard to Link, who was watching him. He gave them a wry smile.

“We are champions of Hyrule, and that Divine Beast is rampaging through the desert unless we speak to your chief about how to handle it!” he spat. He could almost feel the ghost of Mipha’s disapproving stare fixed on the back of his neck for throwing around the Champion’s status haphazardly. He hoped it would receive some recognition. The guards simply glared at him. 

“You may be these so-called champions, but our chief does not need to put herself in danger for you voes. You will leave at once!”

The guards pointed their spears at the two. Revali raised his wings defensively and stepped away, Link following close behind. He gave the man a stern look to silently scold him for not helping. 

They walked around the perimeter of the town, speaking to each guard. They all refused to allow entrance to the two men. Revali griped as they paced the perimeter. There was always some type of obstacle. But from the look on Link’s face, he could see the Hylian had an idea. He smirked as Link went over his idea. It was ridiculous, but worth a shot. 

Revali summoned his gale. It launched Link into the air, high above the town. He pulled out his paraglider, gliding slowly into the town. But, unsurprisingly, he was shot at by what seemed like hundreds of arrows narrowly missing his body. The attack loosened his grip on the paraglider and his body plummeted into Gerudo Town. Revali was waiting to hear his body loudly crunch against the hard stone of the town, but it never came. He heard the sound of multiple guards running to the entrance as they threw him into the sand, pointing their spears at him as he stood. 

“We said no voe! If we must warn you again, we will not hesitate to let you fall to your death next time!” 

Revali let out a small laugh, covering his smile with his wing. Link scowled up at him, but it soon turned into an exhausted lopsided smile. He looked like he could fall asleep laying there. The Rito leaned down to help him up, wrapping his wing around the Hylian’s body. 

“We need to get you to an inn. We can’t have you falling asleep on the job,” Revali said. Link nodded against his chest. He looked back at the guards. The guard on the left had her eyebrows furrowed as she watched them. 

“You may rest at Kara Kara Bazaar,” she called out to them, “you may have passed it on the way here.”

“Good to know,” Revali called back. He gave them a small wave. They had barely walked when they heard a “pssst” to their right. A man was crouching behind a boulder, watching them. Revali cocked his eyebrow at the stranger, who tripped over himself to run up to them. 

“I saw you try to enter there! That was really brave of you…” the man exclaimed, smiling wide. He smelled weird, and it made Revali grimace. He silently stared at the man, urging him to continue, “if you intend to enter there, I may have some valuable information.”

“If it’s so valuable, why are you taking your time to tell us?” 

The man stuttered, “I-I heard there was a man who snuck in there before! He was dressed as a woman so they let him enter! Listen to my heroic tale of how--”

Revali knew where this was headed. He didn’t wait for the man to finish, “Thanks,” he said, leaving the man stuttering out his story.

The sun was starting to set as they entered the bazaar. Link managed to walk on his own but Revali kept his wing wrapped around the Hylian, who leaned into his embrace. The setting sun sent a cold breeze through the sands and Link didn’t seem like he wanted to change into warmer clothing in the middle of the open desert. Revali warmed him with the wing with less corruption. He didn’t want Link to worry about him. Though the man was filled with childish glee when he noticed the pond in the center of Kara Kara Bazaar, stripping to his undergarments as he ran. He jumped in, the force of the jump splashing a nearby elderly Gerudo, who started cursing at him in Gerudo. Link didn’t seem to notice as he let his body float freely in the shadow pool. Revali sat down at the edge of the pond and let his feet soak in the cool water.

He regretted passing right by this oasis on the way to Gerudo Town, the annoying heat of the wastelands and the monsters didn’t make their journey easy. Although--

Revali scrunched his face in thought. During their journey to the desert, monsters had barely attacked them. The silver variants threatened to attack, but the weaker ones stared as Revali walked by, merely trying to attack Link if he was too far behind. The Rito leaned forward to stare at his reflection in the water. He lowered the hood low enough to see his face. The malice around his face had temporarily slowed its spreading for the moment but he couldn’t relax knowing that soon after freeing Urbosa, he might be fully corrupted. The tips of the feathers around his face were now a prominent crimson that matched a Gerudo’s. He didn’t want to bother checking the rest of his body right now for fear he might reveal too much to the small crowd of the oasis. He stared at his face as the water rippled below. 

A splash to his face cleared him of his thoughts. He shook his head, the hood falling off completely now. His feathers fluffed up and he grumbled, trying to smooth them down. Link was snickering in front of him, splashing his legs lightly before letting his body float once again. 

“You dimwit,” Revali mumbled, letting his feet splash Link in retaliation. Revali could see the scars that covered the Hylian’s body now. Some looked like sword wounds, others looked like burns. Some even looked that the skin itself had sealed itself instead of healing properly. He wondered if that was from when he had died. 

Link’s head floated over to Revali’s knees, bumping it softly. He opened his eyes and gave the Rito a huge goofy smile. Revali stared back before smiling. His mind and body were tired. If these were his last moments with Link, he wanted to make them count. Which meant biting his tongue every time he wanted to say some snarky comment about Link’s idiocy. The smile though caught the Hylian off guard, for he ducked below the water blushing. He came back up to splash Revali, letting the wave grow too large and once again splashing the elderly Gerudo. She stood up fast, cursing rapidly while waving around a tiny dagger at him. Link swam away fast before the older woman could reach for his neck to strangle him. Revali just shook his head, apologizing to the woman for his companion’s carelessness. She didn’t accept it, instead, she grumbled under her breath about “disrespectful brats''. The Rito sighed. Being lumped in that category threatened to bring down his fake ego, but it subsided once he saw Link somehow already fully dressed trying to climb the inn. 

“What do you think you’re doing?” Revali said, grabbing Link’s shirt as he hung to the side of the inn. He laughed awkwardly, pointing over Revali’s shoulder. The sandstorm had started to pick up for the night, what was left of the sun almost threatening to hide Vah Naboris in the sandstorm. But, the beast itself was hard to miss. It stomped through the desert, kicking up massive amounts of sand into the air as the clouds surrounding it lit up with lightning. Revali could feel his heart drop in his stomach. That was...quite the intimidating Divine Beast. It was fitting for the Great Gerudo Spirit Urbosa herself. 

He turned back to Link, who signed that he wanted to get a better look at the beast. It was hard to miss, but Revali groaned. He felt that he could regret this later in case LInk asked for more favors eventually but decided he would stick to his “nice guy” plan. 

“Get on,” he said deadpan, leaning down for Link to climb onto his back. The Hylian promptly wrapped his arms around Revali’s neck. The Rito hoped that Link could not feel his pulse skip a beat as he took off, soaring high above the oasis. Link held onto him tightly, gasping as he watched the beast move through the desert. Its unnatural roar echoed into the night sky, shaking Revali’s body to the bone. He felt the malice tingle against him the longer he listened to its cry. Link ran his fingers through what was left of his navy feathers, nodding against his neck. 

He took that as his cue to land and he dove down, but not before spotting a person wearing a bright magenta Gerudo outfit waving them down. Curious, he landed behind them, her clothing waving in the winds of Revali’s Gale. She clapped slowly for his graceful landing as Link climbed off. Revali gave her a coy smile, bowing his head slightly in appreciation. 

“That was quite the graceful flight,” she said as she eyed the two men, “I’m glad I’m not the only one to enjoy the view tonight,” she gestured to the beast as it let out another roar. It sent shivers down Revali’s spine, but the stranger didn’t notice or point it out. 

Revali stared at her. Her voice was a bit low for a woman, but of the many circumstances where he  _ would _ have judged someone, this was not one of them. But Link gasped, his hands moving at such a pace that caused the person to cock their head to the side in confusion. 

“He says your outfit is...beautiful,” Revali translated, his voice monotone. 

The woman giggled at the compliment, “Why thank you, young man. If you’d like, I could make you your very own similar to this if you’d like?” 

Link nodded enthusiastically. Revali watched in shock as Link stepped forward to be measured. Surely he was doing this to enter Gerudo Town and not for himself? But as the stranger started to take Link’s measurements, the Rito didn’t miss how excited Link looked at him. He smiled wide as he jumped on the balls of his feet, earning him a soft smack from the person. 

“I will have it crafted for you tomorrow morning,” the woman purred, waving at them. Link jumped as he walked to the edge of the roof, bringing out his paraglider to jump off. Revali turned to the person, an eyebrow cocked. 

“You wouldn’t happen to know about the man sneaking into Gerudo Town, would you?” 

The woman gasped, shaking her head, “Goddess no! But, speaking of a man…” she sized Revali up, “the name’s Vilia. You two can come to visit me anytime, darling. Perhaps we could grab a bite to eat”

Revali was taken back by the invitation that he almost fell off the roof right there. He caught himself, declining the offer, and took off. 

The inn was surprisingly comfortable for being made of stone. Revali chose the bottom bunk of the two beds Link bought, letting the Hylian excitedly climb to the top to sleep. He leaned over the edge to look down at Revali. The Rito gave him a soft smile as he signed goodnight. He had lowered the hood for the night, but the darkness of the inn hid the malice that stained his face. He was glad that the last thing Link saw of Revali before he slept was his bright emerald eye and the left of his face shadowed. The Hylian rolled over and he immediately started to snore. Revali closed his eyes but he fell into a nightmare. 

It was always Vah Medoh. But he was Ganon’s phantom once again. He looked down at his arms. They were his wings, but malice pulsed through them. He felt his right arm burn. His head spun as the scene changed. There was a machine attached to it that fired at a figure that stood in front of him before he could process what was happening. A body with a blue shirt fell to the ground, the clothing catching fire. It was Link. Revali couldn’t feel his legs. He watched Link struggle to inhale. He was covered in burns and blood. The air smelled of iron and burnt flesh. Revali’s stomach flipped as he processed what he had done. Link was dying. He killed him. He felt his -- its -- body fall to the ground. He reached his left arm down, pulling Link close to his chest. He held the Hylian there in his thin fingers as he took his final breaths. Revali’s body let out a demonic scream as he held the lifeless body of the man he loved. The malice burned as it leaked over Link’s body, melting him into a puddle of malice in Revali’s arm. He screamed as he let the malice drip through his hand. He screamed as he plunged his thin bony hand into his chest, tearing at the corruption. He screamed, and screamed, and screamed.

He woke up screaming. His body continued to burn as he jolted up. The innkeeper was watching him wide-eyed. He glared at her. She was not threatened by him, instead, her face relaxed when he did. He mumbled under his breath, flopping back onto his bed. He heard the bunk above him shift. 

“Are you awake?” he asked the ceiling. A head popped into view. He chuckled. Link’s bunk shifted under his weight as he climbed off. He stood in front of Revali, his face shadowed in the darkness. Only the moonlight through the window shined onto his blonde hair. He stared at the Hylian in front of him in silence, until Link gestured for him to move. Revali sighed, scooting over to let him sit at the edge of his bed. The Rito glanced around Link. The innkeeper was gone. He thanked the goddesses for giving the two of them some kind of privacy. 

“Before you ask, yes, it was another nightmare,” Revali stated. He could see how the man stared at him in the dark, even with his face shadowed. A nod and a grunt. He knew Link was tired. He saw how sluggish Link’s movements were as he signed. Revali waved him off, “I don’t have night vision, idiot. I can’t see what you’re saying.”

A small hum in the darkness and Revali soon heard the sound of Link walking away, then him struggling with a lantern. A few attempts later and a small flame filled the space between them. Link’s dirty blonde bangs shadowed his eyes but it was clear enough to see his blue eyes reflecting the flame. Revali swallowed hard as he stared in his eyes, hoping the flame didn’t show every detail of his corrupted side. A soft smile crept onto Link’s face as they stared at each other in the darkness before Link finally set the lantern down to pull up a nearby chair to continue his sentence. He asked what happened in the dream.

Revali scoffed, falling back onto the pillow, “I’ll let you take an educated guess,” 

The Rito watched Link’s eyes trace the malice on his face down to his shoulder. He already knew what he was thinking, he didn’t have to explain. His eyes snapped back up to meet Revali’s emerald ones, his face twisting in guilt. 

“Don’t tell me you’re regretting freeing me because of this?” Revali sneered. Link bit his lip, his eyes avoiding the Rito’s. Revali frowned. The man’s hero complex could be unbearable sometimes. The darkness sealing sword decided to choose the most selfless man in Hyrule to be its master. A smart choice, truthfully. But Revali couldn’t let up the sinking feeling in his chest. Did he pity Link? He couldn’t tell. He remembered how he resented the man when they first met, but as he learned more about him, perhaps he did empathize with the man. The fate of an entire kingdom resting on his shoulders, and a hundred years ago, Revali could only stand back and watch as the Hylian he loved slowly spiraled into a silent shell of his former self. And now, the man standing before him was different, yet his charm had remained. It’s as if the memory loss had reset his personality, but for the best. Even with memory loss, the way Link looked at him in the dimly lit room had a hint of reminiscence. The question on the tip of Revali’s tongue begged for an answer, and he could not stop himself from letting it slip. He needed to know if he remembered

“Tell me, Link. Why did you come to Vah Medoh first?”

The recognition from Link’s eyes faded. He glanced out the window. The only noises in the room were Vah Naboris kicking up a storm miles away, and Link’s foot-tapping softly against the stone floor as he thought. It was Link’s chosen nervous habit that Revali had picked up, besides the way he fidgeted with his hands. He watched as Link’s fingers twisted with each other. The Hylian looked as if he would implode at any moment. But, he sat straight. He put his hands over his chest as he took a deep breath, a technique he learned from a certain Zora princess. He cleared his throat, stuttering as he tried to speak. 

“I...needed answers,” he spoke slowly as if he was choosing his words carefully. His foot started to tap again as he continued, “the village felt...nostalgic. It made my chest feel light...I wanted to know why.”

Revali’s breath caught in his throat. Link may not remember their past together vividly, but he knew the feelings remained. He stammered over his words as he avoided eye contact. He wanted to confess everything. Everything they had been through. Every intimate moment they shared. But he held his tongue. He didn’t want Link to spiral again. Too many memories at once would tear his mental state apart. But he was too silent. Link bit his lip nervously, his eyes slowly returning to the floor. Revali held his wing out, grazing Link’s cheek softly. The touch startled the man, his eyes shooting up to meet the avian’s. Despite the lantern shadowing most of his face, Revali could see the red of his cheeks spreading to his pointed ears. He smirked. Maybe he couldn’t reveal everything to Link. But maybe he could jog his memory one step at a time. 

“Y’know,” he started, clearing his throat, “your hair is a mess. Perhaps you would look less like a brute if you had your hair in braids,” Link caught onto Revali’s hint, exhaling in relief. He gestured for Revali to sit against the wall. He sat up, pressing his back against the wall the best he could to ignore the demonic eye, Link sitting centimeters away from his lap. Revali sighed as he ran the tips of his wings through the Hylian’s hair. He hadn’t noticed how much debris was in his loose locks. Small twigs and leaves hid under the surface that fell as he combed through his hair.  _ Oh Hylia _ , the man needed a proper bath and not just a dunk in a pond. He separated his hair into three strands, leaving his sidebangs alone, and began to work. 

His muscle memory recalled exactly how to braid Link’s hair. His thick straw-colored locks did not stay in place unless you pulled them tight. He had done this many times before, nights they spent alone in Rito Village when Zelda had escaped. Link would often fall asleep in the middle of it, his back leaning against Revali’s chest as he snored. Revali would wrap his wings around the Hylian’s body, pulling him close to keep him warm. Though they had been romantically involved, the silent interactions between the two gave him the most comfort. There would be no bickering, no rivalry they entertained in public, only the gentle sounds of sleep. 

Of course, Revali did not hate the bickering. It was the bonus, as his unusual love language was to provoke anyone who would entertain him. But, it could be tiring. 

As he braided Link’s hair in the quiet oasis inn, the sound of sleep soon came from the Hylian. He slowly fell back against Revali’s chest, his nose whistling ever so slightly. The only difference this time was that the malice on his chest ached from the pressure applied to it. He winced, sucking in air as he tried to move the man to a better spot. It didn’t work. He exhaled, leaning back against the wall. He wrapped his wings around the man, disregarding the pain. Sleep did not come easy for him, but the moment between them relaxed his mind enough to rest. 

\----

Link’s braid fell out as soon as he woke up. It was sloppy work, but it was not intended to stay in place. The Hylian sat up from Revali’s chest, pulling his hair back into a ponytail as it fell loose. The Rito squinted at him, the bright desert sun once again shining through the window. The lantern had burned out, or put out hopefully by the innkeeper, not that it would have burned the place down that is. The Hylian turned to him, giving him a tired smile as he leaned back against his chest once again. His eyelids drooped as he stared up at the Revali, who was  _ once again _ glad that Ritos did not blush. He saw a hint of recollection in Link’s eyes as the man smiled up at him. Had he triggered a memory or was he slap-happy from exhaustion? He didn’t ask, for he feared he would ruin the moment. But the moment was ruined anyways, for a voice came from the entrance of the inn calling for them.

“Yoohoo! Rito and the handsome young man! I have a special delivery!” 

Revali swallowed a groan as Link moved off his chest. He jumped up to grab his bag from the bunk above and held out his hand to Revali. He brushed it off grumpily, pulling the Hylian hood over his face once again. The Hylian’s eyes were once again a blank slate as they headed out, thanking the innkeeper as they left. She merely smiled and gave Revali a wink. He wished he wasn’t so readable by older women. 

Vilia stood outside the inn with a wrapped box. Link gasped, reaching to accept the box when the woman held it over his head. 

“Tsk tsk, so impatient! That’ll be 600 rupees for this custom made attire,”

Link rummaged through his pockets pulling out just enough. They probably wouldn’t be eating that night until Link decided to sell some of his junk. The woman handed the box over and the Hylian ran behind the building to change. Revali eyed the woman, who winked at him. He once again didn’t know how to act, taking a step back. It wasn’t long before Link came running back to them and--

Revali’s heart jumped to his throat. 

The outfit was a light blue traditional Gerudo outfit, and it fit Link’s body perfectly. He bounced on his heels as he waited for Revali’s opinion. But the Rito was frozen in awe.  _ How did this man make everything he wears attractive? _

“Oh darling, you look beautiful!” Vilia exclaimed, pulling Link into a hug. Link chuckled awkwardly, still eyeing Revali. 

The Rito faked a cough, looking away, “I-I suppose you pull it off very...n-nicely,” 

His mind spun. He needed to distract himself before he spiraled too much. He thought of Daruk in the same outfit-- which grounded him real quick. He suppressed a gag as well.

He could only travel so far with Link, for they did not want to draw suspicions as he entered the Gerudo Town. He walked the disguised Hylian halfway across the desert until he turned back, waving behind him. 

He sat in the Bazaar’s pond all day, attempting to cleanse both his body and mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i decided to make a "break" chapter because the next one might be rough :D
> 
> don't forget to leave a kudos and/or comment!


	11. Chapter 11

Revali sat perched on top of the Gerudo lookout post. The beast roared, its grotesque rumble of a cry echoing into the wastelands. The malice that corrupted him trembled, shooting sharp pain through his body as the beast continued its cry. Clouds of lightning struck the ground surrounding it, the desert air charging with electricity that made Revali’s feathers stand on end. It was such an intimidating beast compared to the rest. Especially Medoh. He thought of the avian shaped beast sitting on top of Rito Village, its beam of light reaching across Hyrule that locked onto the castle. Though the beast could not express emotion, he almost missed the importance it gave him. It reminded him of his mission. His worth to this kingdom. 

He sighed, checking his wing. He cursed under his breath as he watched the long shallow cut in the malice bubble as it stitched itself back together. Revali grimaced. The injury was not worth the trouble of infiltrating the Yiga Clan, an annoying sidequest that the Chief of Gerudo requested of them. The Gerudo warriors were supposed to be the most powerful troop in Hyrule, Revali wondered why exactly it was left to him and Link to recover the precious family heirloom. How bothersome. He was not the stealthiest person compared to Link, who had come equipped with special Sheikah clothing that helped his sneaking around. Revali had none of that, his already awkward stature clanking against almost every pot in the hideout. If it weren’t for the  _ hundreds _ of bananas Link held onto -- seriously, how did he have room for all of this junk in his bag -- they would have been done for. 

The leader of the Yiga, Master Kohga, had been a joke. 

He jumped around the small stadium-like clearing to avoid their attacks, but it was an unfair fight from the beginning. A master archer and knight easily defeated this ridiculous leader, his own metallic ball cementing his doom. The Thunderhelm, the famous Gerudo heirloom, was theirs for the taking. 

But, as skillful Revali was with a bow, he had noticed that as the malice spread, it prevented him from perfecting his aim. The corruption stiffened his wing, no longer letting him draw the bow back to the ideal length. He was left petrified. His heartbeat rapidly in his chest as Kohga took advantage of this, but Link’s runes protected him from harm before any attack could make contact. Revali feared how this would affect boarding Naboris. He was becoming a burden to the Hylian, a realization that caused him to once again curse, this time louder into the afternoon sky. 

Link returned to Gerudo Town, the heirloom in hand, instructing Revali to wait at the lookout post for him and the Gerudo Chief to come. And they would, riding their sand seals over the dunes. The seals barked as they came to a halt, and Link waved Revali down. 

He had not expected the chief to be so...small. 

He stood a foot over here, the chief had to bend her neck to stare at him. Her childish features were prominent, but there was a certain sternness that stood out to him. This was the face of a child who had to grow up quickly. He knew that look. He shared that look with Link and the princesses. She deserved nothing but his utmost respect. Even if her eyes hid a dash of fear as he pulled his hood down to acknowledge her. 

“I am the Chief of Gerudo Town, Riju. You must be the Rito Champion Revali Link had told me about. It is...good to meet you,” she stated. Her voice was high, but it held authority. Revali bowed his head to her.

“The pleasure’s all mine, Chief Riju,” he said, smiling at her as he raised his head. A coy smile tugged on her lips as she met his eyes. Link behind her looking flabbergasted by his formality. His smile turned into a sneer when he met the Hylian’s eyes. What in Hyrule was that bizarre little sign? Revali cocked his head, shooting him a look of utter bewilderment, which Link returned with a roll of his eyes and a mischievous smile.

Riju went over the plan to infiltrate Naboris. She drew a small diagram into the sand, using rocks as the two champions and her sand seal’s bow -- which was apparently named Patricia, as odd as it sounded -- as her. She spoke with her hands, gesturing to the far lengths of the beast’s trail as it moved. Revali’s face lowered to a frown. He realized he would either have to fly low inside of the Thunderhelm’s force field or somehow balance on a shield while seal surfing. He scoffed. Both were equally humiliating. He had attempted to learn how to seal surf once, a hundred years ago. Urbosa had taken it upon herself to teach him how, but his clumsy bird feet refused to stay on the shield at first. He had gotten the hang of it, but after eating an unhealthy amount of sand as Link and Urbosa laughed at him. The memory made him grimace, but a hand to his shoulder from Link reassured him that he didn’t have to go with them. But now he was determined to. 

The companions decided to have Link steer as Revali shot the arrows. It was an awkward setup. Revali and Link would be looped together, Revali pinned to Link’s back and had to not shoot his head off with a bomb arrow. Easier said than done. Revali stretched his wings wide. Once above his head, once to his toes. The bones popped as the malice inhibited him from stretching too far beyond his limit. He grumbled. He fought against it. But the malice was as stubborn as he was. Revali prayed that it would not cause him to blow them up. 

The men stood back and untangled their ropes, keeping their voices to a low whisper as Riju prayed to her ancestors. The force field of the Thunderhelm surrounded them like a huge fog that crackled and sparked around them. It made Revali’s feathers start to poof from the electricity in the air, but he failed to smooth them before Link pointed them out, laughing. He smoothed the non-malice covered ones down for Revali. He nipped at Link’s fingers. The Hylian flicked his beak in retaliation, a knowing smile tugging on his lips. 

“If you two lovebirds are finished,” Riju called back to them, the Thunderhelm tilting on her head. It was too large for her head, and she groaned as she readjusted it, “we need to head out!” 

They nodded to her, Revali brushing off Riju’s comment as they rode the sand seals into the storm. 

\----

Urbosa’s body was still. The malice that spread through her whole body looked as if a lightning bolt covered her skin. Her face remained as perfect as ever, despite the long crooked malice scar over her right eye. It moved, fluctuated, like a river flowing against her sepia colored skin. Link and Revali crouched down beside her, the Rito checking for a pulse. It was just barely there, slow, but in a pattern. Revali nodded, and Link sat back, breathing heavily. Did the idiot not know how to check for a pulse? Whatever. 

The Gerudo champion’s eyes fluttered open, and she immediately let out a frustrated shout. Revali jumped back. She reached up to pinch the bridge of her nose, groaning.

“Damned monster...I never thought I’d see the day where I was bested by such a fiend,” she mumbled. Link reached to slide a hand behind her back, but she batted him away. She managed to sit up on her own, but hesitantly. She cracked her neck, releasing a satisfying pop that made Link flinch. Where was his and Mipha’s luck when it came to their revival, he didn’t know. She stood up on her own, trembling a bit but caught herself before she fell. She was barefoot, her clothes in tattered rags that hung loosely on her body. Yet she remained strong. Her stature radiated strength. She held her head high, smiling in pride, swallowing any doubt she may have had towards herself. No one would have guessed this was the Gerudo Champion that Ganon had defeated one hundred years ago. Revali watched her in admiration but shook it off before she could notice. The intimidating expression melted away when she saw him staring, transforming into a gentle smile. 

“My, you’ve seen better days, Revali,” she said; getting a good look at his malice-covered face. His eyes narrowed at her, but he could not stop the smile twitching on his face. She held out her arms to him and he let her embrace him. Urbosa’s motherly touch caused Revali’s chest to grow warm, his feathers poofing against her in delight before he could stop them. She flattened the feathers as they poofed, but even she couldn’t keep them down. He had no idea how much he had missed being held by his fellow Champion. Maybe he should have let Daruk hug him as well. He would never admit that to the Goron, however. He feared his bones could not handle the powerful hugs of Daruk. He just sighed against the older Champion, who rested her head on top of his and rubbed his back.

“There, there, my sweet warrior,” she whispered to him. Her soft voice purred as his eyes began to water. He needed this. He looked up to see Link watching them. His brows were furrowed. Revali rolled his eyes, nodding for Link to join the hug, leading to him awkwardly shuffling close enough for Urbosa to wrap her arms around him as well. His eyes were empty, yet-- Revali saw the light of recognition return to him as she held them, and he closed his eyes. Revali smiled. 

Urbosa pulled away, patting the two men on the head before spinning on her heels. Her eyes darted around the beast. Its mechanics creaked in response. 

“Well, my old friend, it’s time we prepared for our strike.” 

Her hand grazed over the control unit, the machine glowing its signature blue. Revali’s breath caught in his throat. How...How was she able to connect easily? It had been mere minutes since she had awakened, how was this possible? Revali narrowed his eyes. It was puzzling, to think that it took him months to be on his feet once again, while his fellow Champion commanded the Divine Beast with ease. The words  _ weak _ echoed in his head as he listened to Naboris roar, its cries no longer unsettling the corruption that burned his body. He was grateful for that much.

The beast obeyed Urbosa as if it were a hundred years ago. Its long, awkward limbs sent earthquakes through the desert with every heavy step it took. As intimidating as the beast had been, its movements were graceless. The two men struggled to stay on their feet, gripping tightly onto Urbosa’s arms as she piloted. It didn’t faze her. But, she did smirk at Revali, causing him to hide his face. It was nothing like Medoh or Ruta, at least to him. Although, recalling how Link had stumbled carelessly as he piloted Medoh, he shouldn’t be surprised. 

Revali’s grip on the Gerudo tightened as they scaled the cliffs, its massive body threatening to tip at any given moment. The Rito cursed under his breath. If they died here, he swore to Nayru--

“Give it a rest, we’re here.”

He hadn’t noticed the beast had stopped moving. Link had released Urbosa from his iron grip, climbing the stairs to view Hyrule below. Revali stayed put. He continued to watch Urbosa work, placing the coordinates for the castle. Naboris released its beam, the beast releasing strong tremors throughout, sending Link flying down the stairs as he lost his grip. Revali rolled his eyes. He grabbed Link by his shirt, pulling him off the ground. Urbosa chuckled as light surrounded them, sparkling as it transported them back to the center of Gerudo Town. Revali froze, his wings up defensively as the Gerudo surrounded him with spears before he could take a breath. If it was Zelda’s power that transported them, he made a mental note to seek revenge on her for this. 

“Guards, halt!” Riju’s voice echoed through the ever-growing crowd. Everyone froze. The spears at Revali’s throat were lowered hesitantly, the Rito breathing with relief. The crowd separated, forming a path and kneeled as Riju made her way to them, bowing to Urbosa. 

“It is an honor to meet you in the flesh, Lady Urbosa,” Riju said. A wave of shock rang through the town. Whispers, tears, uncertainty, the emotions were mixed. The Gerudo Chief stayed low until Urbosa cupped her chin, lifting her head to meet her eyes. The Champion gasped, her eyes racing to examine every detail of Riju’s face. 

“You...have the eyes of my dear sister,” Urbosa muttered. She brushed Riju’s cheek, the Gerudo Chief leaning into the touch. Revali smiled as he watched. By her reaction, Riju needed the soft touch of a mother as well. A gentle smile crossed her face as Urbosa held her. “Are you...perhaps her descendent?” 

Riju nodded fast, the excitement of a child surfacing. She took the crown on her head and removed it, kneeling before Urbosa. 

“This rightfully belongs to you,” she said, holding it up to the Gerudo warrior. Urbosa shook her head, placing the crown back onto Riju’s head. Riju’s brows furrowed in confusion. 

“My reign over our people finished when I passed. This is now your legacy. I may watch over you, but it is no longer my duty,” Urbosa reached down, pulling Riju to her feet. The chief stared in shock but nodded as she wiped away tears in her eyes. She gestured to the crowd of Gerudo that surrounded them, and they cheered for her. A few extended their spears to Revali once again, who squawked as he hid behind Urbosa. She waved them off and they sighed, clapping with the rest of the crowd. Revali sighed with relief. He patted Link on the shoulder. The Hylian caught Revali’s wing in his hand smiling, a pink blush noticeable on his cheeks. Revali froze in surprise but relaxed. He pulled Link into a half hug as the Gerudo celebrated the return of their Champion. 

\----

Riju had decided that because of this unique scenario, Revali would be able to stay in Gerudo Town.  _ Just this once _ , Riju had said as her guard scoffed in disgust. But once he left, he would not be allowed access anymore. He was fine with this rule. It made it easier to visit Urbosa, who had decided to rest in an extra room in the palace. Her body weakened as the adrenaline released from her body, her breath wheezed as she held her hand to her chest, coughing. The malice was starting to take its toll on her now that she was freed, and Revali knew that he would be next. But he stood by her as she rested. She gave him a tired smile. He responded with a nod, pulling up a chair to sit by her bed. They were alone for the moment, Link taking a moment to speak with Riju about the Champions. He traced the malice scar from Urbosa’s face that led down her body, spreading like roots as it extended downwards. Her right eye was golden like his left one, but it somehow suited her. She pulled off anything, even these malicious scars. 

“The last century has been a heavy burden on my soul...I’m glad to be free now,” Urbosa said, her words slurred from exhaustion.

Revali cocked his head to the side, “You experienced time in your imprisonment?’ 

Urbosa chuckled, “Somehow, sadly. I wish I hadn’t. Every day droned by as I sat, filled with my regrets and anger about my defeat. It fought dirty. It filled me with such bitter rage to know that creature had gained an upper hand on me. But, by your question, I suppose you didn’t?” 

Revali shook his head, “No...no time had passed for me when I was released. The same happened to Mipha. But you and Daruk...I wonder how that is possible?” 

Urbosa shrugged, her eyes moving to the ceiling, “Who could say? Perhaps it came from experience. Or even luck.” 

Revali fell silent. He examined the malice on his wings, which had continued spreading down to the tips. He didn’t know how much time he had left now. He felt his heart race in his chest. His breath caught. A soft hand rested on his face, and he looked up to Urbosa’s smile. 

“How has Link been treating you?” she asked. Revali merely scoffed, but it was a nice distraction. He scratched at the malice on his face and it burned the tips of his wings. He winced, shaking off the pain. He mumbled curses towards the disgusting substance. Urbosa watched him in silence, waiting for an answer. 

“What’s there to say? He doesn’t remember anything. I’ve already had this talk with Mipha, I don’t need another lecture from you,” he said, but he could not hide the smile that crept onto his face. He thought of last night, how he held Link in his sleep, the memory warming his chest. He yearned to return to that moment. Urbosa sat up, scratching the side of his face affectionately. Before he could catch himself, he chirped at the touch. He froze. Urbosa laughed, patting his beak. 

“I suppose not, but hearing you chirp like that means you two must be on better terms. You never chirp.”

“Because it’s  _ embarrassing,”  _ he spat. It made him feel childish. He had managed to not chirp this entire trip, but Urbosa had forced one out of him in such a short time. He grimaced at her. He prayed to Din she would not continue. His prayers were answered as she lowered her hand, staring at something over his shoulder. He paused, fearing the malice had grown more noticeable, but his body relaxed when she smiled. Link had entered the room, still dressed in the traditional vai outfit. Revali covered his face with his wing to hide from embarrassment, careful not to touch the malice. He couldn’t handle this outfit of his. He wished he would change into something  _ decent _ . 

“My, you pull that outfit off more than some vai,” Urbosa said, smiling coyly at Revali. He glared at him from behind his wing. Link scratched behind his head, pulling down the veil to show his goofy lopsided smile. Her smile dropped as she looked to Revali, and he knew. Malice spread down his beak. It was burning a path as it moved. He had become so accustomed to the feeling of it spreading, he had barely noticed how it scorched his beak as it traveled. He scratched at it, ignoring the burning, the sizzling,  _ the pain _ of his feathers. Link grabbed his wing to stop him, pulling it down into his lap to hold it. Revali groaned, trying to escape the grip of the Hylian but he would not let go. He let his wing go limp, grumbling. Urbosa’s eyes darted between the two, smiling softly. 

“Tell me, boys. How has the journey been?”

Revali and Link told the stories of their journey. The Rito took the time to exaggerate his victories over larger monsters, leaving out his intense injuries -- which Link took the time to point out, causing Revali to glare at him. He spoke of Mipha. His face softened as he thought of his dear friend. However, he stayed silent about her breakdown on the mountain, even if Urbosa knew of the relationship Zelda and Mipha had. It was not his business to share. Link told her about Daruk, his hands moving a mile a minute. Urbosa’s eyes narrowed when he mentioned the Goron had lost his arm, cursing under her breath in Gerudo, but urged them to continue. Revali was hesitant to show her the malice growing on his back, how rapidly it could spread, and chose to ignore that. That is, until Link pointed it out. How ignorant of him! He smacked Link before he could stop him, but Urbosa’s grave expression said it all. 

“How much time do we have?” Urbosa’s voice was low. Revali shrugged, frowning. Maybe a day, maybe a month. He couldn’t say. But  _ gods _ , how it burned his face as it spread over to the right side, it was any day now. He avoided eye contact, deciding that it would be best for the hood to be pulled tight over his face. He managed to steal his wing back from Link and covered his face, sighing. He yawned, and Urbosa patted his knee, “It’s time for bed.”

“I don’t have a bedtime,” he sneered, but another yawn escaped him. He shook his head as he stood up to leave, Link following close behind. 

Riju had prepared them a guest room that the guards escorted them to. The room was small, lit merely by a lantern that hung by the door, but was packed full of furniture. The bookshelf was filled with different types of books that ranged from history, romance, and cooking. The window had long brightly colored curtains that were tied off to the side, letting a sliver of moonlight escape into the room. A table sat in the middle of the room, and-- Revali grumbled. There was only one bed in the room. No wonder Riju gave him such a mischievous look before she ushered them away to their rooms. Though he didn’t mind, he felt his heart drop as he stared in shock. A delicious smell filled the room, causing Revali’s stomach to growl in protest despite his frustration towards the Gerudo Chief. A small cake was left on the nightstand, its sweet aromas drawing the two champions in. A note was folded underneath the plate. As Link opened the note, the smell of a strong flowery perfume choking them immediately. Revali covered his beak as he snatched the note from Link’s hands, ready to tear it to shreds before he saw the message left for them.

_ “To the beautiful Hylian vai who helped save our precious town and her handsome companion. May you both rest your grievances away together. Please enjoy the cake left for you, baked by yours truly! - Ashai” _

Revali handed the message back to Link. It just kept getting  _ worse.  _ He pinched the bridge of his beak, hoping to wake up from this  _ nightmare _ . As Link read, his face grew redder by the second, before he dropped the note altogether. He didn’t say a word, only took a huge slice of cake from their “reward”. Revali had lost his appetite. 

Link had scarfed down the cake in seconds, flopping onto the bed as Revali watched, debating whether or not he should sleep that night. He couldn’t let his guard down. He couldn’t let the malice gain control over him. Not yet. The Hylian gestured for him, his train of thought was gone, though it was for the best. Link stared at him, his face unreadable. He clung to one of the pillows as he gave Revali soft puppy eyes, his ocean eyes shining. The Rito rolled his eyes, sitting on the edge of the bed, the bed flattening under his weight. 

Guard up. Stay awake.

__ “I...remembered more today,” Link said, his voice muffled by the pillow. Revali was wide-eyed. This was the first time he had decided to tell Revali he had remembered something. His memories were precious to him, the Rito knew, that his chest felt tight as Link’s ears turned red in the silence they shared.

“Well? Are you going to tell me or not?”

Link stuttered until he gave up on speaking once again. He signed to Revali with tired and shaky hands. 

_ They were in the woods. Campsite? Not a mission. Wings were around him. Soft. Warm. Revali. Urbosa telling stories. Stories of Ganon. Chills. Fear. How was Zelda sleeping through this? Zelda. She was silent. She was tired. Mipha. Mipha held her. Revali held him. He was tired. Tired, tired, tired. Daruk laughed. Startled him. But he was tired. So, so tired.  _

The memory was so choppy, Revali couldn’t make heads or tails of it. The Champions had gone on many, many camping together as if they were family. The nights they could distract themselves from the Calamity, it was surprising Link could get any sleep at all back then. Maybe...maybe that’s why he needed to be held by Revali’s warm wings some nights. The Hylian had sat up, lifting the Rito’s wings over his body to rest. Revali sighed. He laid back in the bed, careful of Link, careful of his malice. He held Link in his wings. His heart was racing. His breathing was heavy. He couldn’t let his guard down. But Link was curled up under his wings, a soft whistle escaping his nose. It calmed the Rito. Maybe, maybe a few minutes of rest wouldn’t hurt. His eyelids drooped before he could stop them, and his head rested against the wall. 

\----

A sharp pain coursed through his body, it was as if his body was being torn in two. Revali gasped awake. How long had he been asleep? His body burned and pulsed against him, but he was trapped under Link. He needed air. The Hylian was asleep, but he managed to wiggle his wing out from underneath him. He tried to run as quietly as possible through the Gerudo palace, the guards watching him suspiciously as he ran into the clearing. His breath was shallow. Every bone in his body ached.  _ No no no! _ He had been a fool. He had let his guard down. He wasn’t ready. Not yet.  _ Not yet. Please!  _

He looked down at his wings. He gasped for air. They were covered in malice, the tips transforming into claws, not far off of the ones that belonged to Ganon's phantom. His wings kept their shape, but he feared he wouldn’t be able to fly in this condition. He fell to his knees, scratching at his face as the malice spread rapidly.  _ Why? Why so soon?!  _ He needed to run. He couldn’t be seen like this. He needed to return to Vah Medoh before--

“R-Revali?” 

Link’s voice petrified him. He turned his head slowly to see Link and Urbosa standing there. No no. Leave, Link.  _ Leave. _ He pulled the hood over his head, running to the exit of the town into the sands. He was careless. He stumbled through the desert. He fell to his knees once again. His newly formed hands gripped onto the sand. Get up,  _ dammit. Run _ . His body wouldn’t listen. He heard Link run after him into the desert. 

Revali closed his eyes. His body trembled as he stood. He could feel the malice on his body grow as seconds passed. He didn’t have time to think. He didn’t have time to be a coward. 

He turned on his heels. Link was close. He stood so close, it was easy to reach out to him. He was careful to not touch his skin with his corrupted wings. He gripped the Hylian’s shirt, pulling him close. He pressed his forehead to Link’s softly. He closed his eyes. It was a simple action. Something they had done time and time again. He didn’t care if Link remembered. He couldn’t be a coward. Not right now. 

He watched Link’s eyes grow wide as he pulled away. He struggled to speak. He remembered. Revali smiled. He was..pleased. It was a bittersweet feeling, really. Link held out his hand, but Revali backed away out of his reach. His body burned, ached for rest once again. Not yet. He took off, riding his Gale back towards Rito Village. As he looked back once more, he saw Link running and tripping through the sand. She grabbed him, holding him close as he kicked, screamed, begged to chase after Revali. He could hear his name echoing into the night sky as he flew away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm sorry :')


	12. Chapter 12

Revali was alone. Finally, truly alone. He was used to this, but this time, it somehow felt wrong. He yearned to fill the growing void in his heart as he watched the castle, wrapped in Link’s hood. The silence of the skies. The sizzling of malice as it traveled across his frame. Nothing could tune out the ringing of his thoughts, how they begged for attention inside his mind. He knew what he needed, yet he had decided to leave. This was his punishment for failing. He needed to face it by himself. Therefore, he sat sketching on the beak of Medoh, the one activity he had left to keep him sane. He could only watch the sunset so many times before feeling boredom creep in. The bright yellow that stretched across the morning sky reminded him too much of the golden boy himself, the way his smile could light up the entire room, and his heart sank. He wished he could visit the village for some type of distraction, stimulation,  _ anything _ , but he resisted. 

He knew everyone below begged for his return, but he couldn’t. Not how he was now. He was no Champion, not anymore that is. He couldn’t bear to face them, the looks on their faces at the sight of him, the hideous ghost of their once-loved warrior. He was the broken spirit of his former self. In fact, all the great Champions of Hyrule have been reduced to the broken spirits of themselves. It was laughable, it was  _ pathetic _ , and it left a heavyweight in his chest.

He felt the chill of the cold air surround him, distracting him from his thoughts. Malice wasn’t the warmest compared to his now singed feathers. It felt as if frostbite covered him, the bitter cold of the morning breeze mixing with the burning sensation. It wasn’t pleasant. He cursed Ganon. 

If he had a rupee every time he cursed Ganon, he would be rich. 

He hoped isolation would soon calm his thoughts the longer he stayed that way.

“Hey, kid.”  _ Ugh. _

He peered over his shoulder. The seasoned warrior Teba stood there, a small smirk on his face. He held a blanket tucked under his arm as well as an odd box. Revali furrowed his remaining eyebrow, turning away from him.

“The Solidary Warrior of the Rito. I see where you get the nickname now,” Teba said, a soft chuckle escaping his beak. Revali let out a huff, holding himself tighter. He wanted to be alone. Why didn’t anyone understand that? 

“What do you want?” he snapped. Teba’s talons clicked as he came closer. Something fluttered around Revali’s body and he flinched, his head darting to see what had landed on him. It was a traditional Rito blanket, crafted with the sigil of the race itself. It was soft, relieving Revali of the chilling air temporarily. His body relaxed. He pulled the blanket closer, hiding inside. He knew how Mipha felt now, hiding in that blanket constantly. 

“I figured you would need it. It’s not exactly the warmest up here,” Teba said as he took a seat next to Revali. The subtle look of fear in the warrior’s eyes was not hard to miss as he glanced at the Champion, and Revali tried to hide the look of disappointment from crossing his face. He didn’t want this. But perhaps, he needed it. He stayed silent, and the elder Rito sighed, handing the box to Revali. “Here, we found these.”

He recognized it, now that he could get a closer look at it. The leather box was the size of the average book. Yet what it held inside was more valuable than any old book was worth. He opened it, his heart skipping a beat. It was a scarf. The material was scratchy, the handiwork was sloppy, and the color was obnoxiously bright. But it meant the world to the Champion. He held it in his new deformed hands, long nails poking through the holes. He trembled. He thought he would never see it again. His home had been destroyed in the Calamity once he had died. Where had it been all these years?

Teba’s face scrunched, examining the scarf over his shoulder. “What _ is _ that?”

“Something from a dear friend,” Revali mumbled. He placed it to the side, noting a couple of pencils he had stored at the bottom. He took one out, holding it in his hand and spun it until his grip loosened. It tumbled away, fading out of sight into the cavern below.  _ What a waste. _ Though he sighed at the loss of his art utensil, he couldn’t stop eyeing the scarf. 

“We found that uh, searching for more of your possessions,” Teba hesitated. His leg shook rapidly. Perhaps he was afraid of Revali after all. Nevertheless, he continued. “Since you are back, we figured you would need something from your past. Mementos, perhaps. We had a small group scavenge the entire village. We practically tore the Flight Range apart searching. Sorry.”

Revali understood. Kind of. He couldn’t ignore the bitter taste in his mouth at the thought of his old training grounds trashed, even if it was for his sake. 

“When we cleaned it up, we found this box. I didn’t go through it but I felt you may have needed it.” 

He ran a clawed finger over the scarf once again. It immediately started to unravel the loose cloth and he panicked. Teba reached over to help, careful not to burn himself on the malice. Once he was freed, he placed it back in the box, setting it to his side. Revali tapped his talon rhythmically, a soft beat filling the silence. 

“Y’know, I...”  _ Did this man ever stop talking?  _ He didn’t remember the Rito warrior being this talkative before. “Since I was a fledgling, I was told stories of the great Rito Champion. But, now that I’ve met you, I didn’t realize you were young enough to be my son.” 

Revali glared at him, “Are you trying to insinuate I look too young to be experienced?”

“Not at all,” Teba patted his back, “I’m saying that I have a lot of work to do to catch up with someone so young.”

Though the Rito warrior had recovered his statement, it didn’t help Revali feel much better. He eyed the warrior. He couldn’t tell if Teba was doing this out of pity or sincerity. It was frustrating, he wasn’t an easy person to read, after all. He gave Revali a soft smile, standing up with a grunt. 

“I’ll be back later to check on you. I’ll let you have your alone time.”

Teba flew off, gliding gently down to the village below. Revali watched him. He now wished the warrior had stayed, though he would never admit this. He grabbed the scarf, holding it to his chest. It was still the ugliest thing he had ever seen in his life since the day he saw it. 

_ Revali fidgeted. He held a box, careful not to drop it. He and Mipha had worked tirelessly on such a small gift, he couldn’t afford to lose it. The duo had searched Hyrule high and low to find the perfect jade to shape into earrings for the Hylian Champion. He had somehow gotten on every last one of Mipha’s nerves as he struggled to shape it, his hefty wings blocking the small stone as he sliced the tips of his feathers with the carving tools. He was cursing and screaming in frustration until Mipha finally pushed him aside, mumbling under her breath about his incompetence. It came naturally to her, twisting the stone in her hands with ease, shaping it into earrings in minutes compared to the hours it took Revali to form even a sphere. She handed them to him, satisfied with her work. He groaned, feeling how smooth the earrings felt against his feathers. He wished he could have been more helpful. It was  _ his _ gift to Link after all. Mipha was already working hard on her Zora armor for Zelda -- she had greeted him while wearing it, twirling around to show him the details. Though it fit loosely on her, it was still a beautiful sight to behold, and the Princess of Hyrule should be lucky to call Mipha her own -- she shouldn’t have to be helping him. But this was the way she was, and she would help him until the day she died, even if she silently hated having to do all the work for him.  _

_ He did have a gift he himself had made at least, though it wasn’t much. A couple of his feathers he had plucked accompanied the earrings inside the box. They were tied together at the ends onto an ear wrap to form a headdress. Plucking his feathers wasn’t a lot compared to the earrings, but it was the best he could do. Hylian culture was foreign to him. It was so much simpler compared to the Rito, it almost bored him. He had taken the time to learn because of Link, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t allowed to have an opinion.  _

_ He tapped his foot. Link should be there any moment now. He needed to collect himself, this wasn’t like any other time. Well, it was, technically. He took a few deep breaths, mimicking Mipha’s technique. He was a Champion, something like this shouldn’t scare him. The insolent swine that haunted Hyrule’s history didn’t ruffle his feathers this way. He would be fine. _

_ Except as soon as he heard the sound of Link’s boots coming up the stairs, he could feel every nerve in his body explode. He stood there shaking in his feathers as Link entered his home, a big goofy smile on his face. He dropped his travel bag onto the floor, crossing the room at a quick pace to embrace Revali. He rested his head against the Rito’s chest, humming softly. This was an almost everyday occurrence, yet today it sent chills down Revali’s spine. He was better than this.  _

_ He lightly pushed Link off of him, holding him at arm’s length. He looked down, avoiding the man’s confused look as he shuffled his feet. Link’s hand rested on his face, scratching his feathers. He let out a soft chirp as his feathers poofed ever so slightly batting away the hand.  _

_ He cleared his throat, “I-I...may have something for you…” he said, his voice shaking. Come on, come on, he was better than this! But as he watched Link’s face light up, he couldn’t stop the soft smile slipping onto his face. He coughed, handing Link the small box.  _

_ “Don’t take this the wrong way!” He exclaimed, Link taking the box excitedly, “Hylians are so bland with their fashion. It’s up to me to show you how to properly dress.”  _

_ Link’s eyes lit up. He gasped, picking up the small jade earrings and turning them over in his hand. He ran his thumb over the smooth surface, his dumb smile growing as he did. He placed the box down, reaching to immediately replace the blue hoops with the jade ones. Revali’s heart raced. It would be a matter of time before he noticed the headdress at the bottom of the box. And he did. He lifted the small odd wrapping at the bottom to find it, another soft gasp leaving his lips. He lifted it, once again rubbing his thumb over the soft feathers that decorated the accessory. Link had always been a tactile type of person, so seeing him take the time to feel each of Revali’s gifts made his feathers flutter in confidence. Link slid the headdress onto his ear, smiling shyly at Revali. He made a quick sign, asking how he looked.  _

_ “Not bad,” Revali whispered. Link tucked a strand of hair out of his eye, stopping to feel the feathers on the headdress once again. Then, Link hesitantly asked what each gift meant. Revali groaned. Of course, he would be too much of an idiot to understand the significance of each gift. Rito culture was  _ once again _ far superior to Hylian culture.  _

_ “If you insist on knowing,” Revali spat, crossing his wings and avoiding eye contact, “in my culture, it’s a sign of...affection. To a loved one specifically.”  _

_ Link smiled at him, rushing forward to wrap his arms around him tightly once again. Revali, this time, returned the hug, resting his head on top of Link’s. The Hylian stayed in the hug as he awkwardly leaned towards his travel bag, eventually separating from Revali when the reach was too far. He rummaged through it until his eyes widened. He pulled out...what was the absolutely ugliest article of clothing Revali had ever laid his eyes on. It was supposedly a scarf, but the shape made it look more like an exaggerated rectangle. There were so many holes in between each stitch, Link’s fingers got caught in them as he tried to hold it up to the Rito. And the color….goddesses, what  _ were  _ those colors? The bulky yarns of the scarf were so bright, it almost hurt Revali’s eyes to stare at it for too long. He didn’t know it was possible to even make shades of pink that bright, yet here it was in front of him. He hadn’t noticed a small frown appearing on his face until Link pulled it away from him, a small pout forming on his lips. He looked as if he was going to cry.  _

_ Revali panicked. He took the scarf from Link’s hands, quickly wrapping it around his neck.  _

_ “H-How do I look?” he managed to stutter out between trying not to wince. He struck a dramatic pose, gesturing to the scarf, “Amazing, I know, you don’t have to say a word.”  _

_ Link rolled his eyes, laughing at his partner. He must have crafted the scarf without the aid of Zelda, who was a skillful knitter. Revali winced, remembering he might as well have had Mipha make his entire gift.  _

_ It would be their third hug, but Revali pulled him in. He pushed Link’s face into his scratchy creation, the Hylian laughing as he tried to free himself from the abomination.  _

_ “While I appreciate the gesture...you didn’t have to get me anything. It’s your birthday, not mine.” _

_ Link shook his head against Revali’s chest.  _

_ “I did anyway because I love you,” Link whispered. _

_ Revali smiled, pecking at Link’s ear and nipping it gently. Link batted his beak away. _

_ “Idiot.” _

Revali wrapped the scarf around his neck. It warmed him, despite the enormous holes. The feeling of loneliness crept back into his chest, leaving him feeling emptier than before. He made this decision. He needed to stick with it. Until someday, he could see Link again. 

\----

The Master Sword was a light sword, built perfectly balanced for every one of its wielders, and was every master’s dream. But the burden it carried as the sword that sealed the darkness weighed onto Link’s shoulders as he marched the stairs of Hyrule Castle. The sword had given up its grip, slipping like ice into Link’s hands. The Great Deku Tree praised him, told him that he was doing what Hylia had intended for him, fulfilling his one true destiny. It weighed on him like several thousand bricks attempting to crush his soul. He wasn’t doing this for some goddess. He was doing this for Revali. For Zelda. For all the champions. Most of all, he was doing this for himself. This scourge had taken his life, robbing him of his childhood, his freedom to live how he wanted, and his memories. He had built up rage towards this unforgiving world, it was time he released it onto the one who hurt him the most. 

The Sanctum was empty. He knew the beast should be there, yet the only thing that remained was specks of malice filling the air around him. He clenched his fists. 

“Where are you?!” he screamed. His shout echoed off the walls. The room was silent but something dripped onto his shoulder. It burned. He glared at his shoulder, wiping away...malice? 

He looked up. 

It was a cocoon. The anathema of Hyrule itself was trapped inside a disgusting misshapen  _ cocoon _ . It twitched, oozing malice as it twisted. Whatever was inside begged to be released. It would be any moment, now that Link had alerted it of his presence. He cursed as he unsheathed his weapon, the Master Sword glowing blue in the dimly lit castle. 

He heard Zelda’s voice echoing in his head, but he could not make out her words as a long arm jutted out of the cocoon, twisting in such an unnatural way. A head soon popped out, screaming. More and more limbs escaped until the cocoon gave way, ripping as the creature fell towards Link. The floor shattered upon impact and the two fell into the abyss of the castle. 

\----

As Teba packed dinner and more supplies to give to Revali, Medoh screeched. It shook the ground violently, threatening to knock him and his family over. He caught his wife before she fell, Tulin gripping onto his legs tightly. He ran out of his house to see Medoh powering down, its duties fulfilled. 

When he made his way to the top of the Divine Beast, Revali was in the same spot, watching the castle. Teba chuckled. He would be able to come down now that his job was done, it was just the matter of convincing him. As he walked towards the Champion, an odd growl escaped Revali. Teba froze, eyes furrowed. He watched Revali carefully as he noticed the way the Champion’s body twitched unnaturally. 

“Kid?” Teba muttered, coming close enough to rest a wing on Revali’s shoulder. 

The Champion lunged at him, knocking him onto his back. He pushed Revali off of him, gasping for air. Revali was hunched over, long spikes suddenly erupting out of his spine. He growled, his mouth dripping malice as he stared at Teba. His whole body pulsed with malice. 

He no longer had any trace of feathers on his body. Malice oozed and pulsed throughout, aside from the long crimson hair that fell down his back. He fell to all fours. Claws digging into Medoh like a boar ready to charge. Teba only had seconds to respond, but he had to make it count. He grabbed the Feathered Edge from his side, slicing Revali’s beak before he could attempt to attack him. Revali screeched. Malice poured from his sliced beak as he stumbled backward, gripping the wound. He glared through his claws with his slit golden eyes. Teba felt a shiver run down his spine as he stared into those eyes. 

He held no resemblance to Revali anymore. This was a monster. 

Revali hissed at him. He drove off of Medoh, screeching into the sky as he flew towards the castle. Teba could only watch in shock as one thought crossed his mind.  _ Link. _

\----

Mipha had been dismissive of Sidon all morning. She was pacing around her room when he checked on her, mumbling under her breath, the blanket from Revali’s guest room still wrapped around her frail body. He knocked softly on the door frame and she jumped, a strained smile on her lips as she kindly told him to leave. The malice had progressed swiftly since Revali had left for Gerudo Town. Mipha’s teeth, as sharp as they were like a shark’s, now were needles that sat in her mouth at an uneven angle giving her an odd lisp. Her head fin was covered in long crimson hair that looked as if she was wearing a wig. Her eyes were both the cursed malice gold, losing the soft look that his sister once gave him. Instead, her eyes held anger, a fire inside them that yearned for violence. It hurt his soul to see her like that. 

He decided he would check on her once again. It wouldn’t hurt, right? But before he could knock on her door, he heard a c _ rash! _ inside. He gasped, swinging the door open violently to see his older sister on the floor surrounded by her lunch. She was crawling across the floor, dragging her weak body towards the door. 

“Mipha!” Sidon cried, sliding across the smooth floor to her. He picked her up, cradling her in his arms as she wheezed. 

“I need to...get to Ruta…” her voice was barely audible. But Sidon understood as he ran out the door. 

He scaled the mountains as quickly as he could, Mipha tucked inside a blanket tied around his body. The large beast was an odd design, but Mipha directed him through the labyrinth to the main control unit. He ran through the halls, careful not to hurt his sister in the process. When he finally found the control unit, Mipha began to struggle in his hold. 

“Please, Sidon...let me down. I need to do this,” she croaked. He did as he was told, letting her down gently. She stumbled a bit, Sidon catching her before she fell. He walked her over, backing up once she had a grip on the panel. A few button inputs later, and Ruta shook violently. Mipha lost her grip, slipping to the floor as Ruta’s beam exploded, violent tremors shaking the beast. Sidon ran to Mipha.

“Stay back!” she cried, holding up a hand to him. Her nails had grown significantly because of the malice, long sharp claws replacing them. She covered her face as the blanket slipped off of her, revealing her now completely covered body. Her arms were stretched, one dragging behind her as she crawled away from him. 

“Mipha, please...let me take you home now. We shall figure out what we can do there.” 

She was silent. She rested her head against the ground. She trembled as she hugged her body. Sidon approached her, arms outstretched. He scooped her up, malice burning his scales as he held her to his chest. 

“Si...don…” 

She lowered her hands from her face. Her mouth was curled into a menacing smile. The rows of needle-sharp teeth made Sidon jump. He dropped her as she swung her long arms at him, claws narrowly avoiding his face. 

She lingered towards him, her long scrawny arms dragging against the stone floor. Her head jerked from side to side, eyes darting to find an opening to attack. Her cursed smile widened, every tooth sharp as a needle. This wasn’t his loved sister anymore, yet he could not bring himself to defend himself. She swung again, a long deep cut left on his arm. He gasped, applying pressure to it as she continued to approach him. She was close, claws tight around his neck as she dragged him down to face her. She growled in his face, malice oozing from her mouth. Sidon’s mouth froze agape. He panicked, reaching forward to wrap her in his arms. She screeched a high pitched noise that caused Sidon’s eardrums to ring. He held onto her tighter as she squirmed in his grip, biting and scratching at his arms. He winced. He could only hold on. He needed to get back to Zora Domain with her. But the long gash in his arm prevented him from keeping his strength up, black dots filling his vision. He was losing blood the more she bit at him, tearing his scales from his body. He gave in. He dropped her, letting his knees buckle underneath him. He hoped Mipha would give him a quick death. But, it never came. He heard the scrapping of claws as she ran out of Ruta and into the night. 

He was lucky guards had come to find him, otherwise, he would have bled to death. But he stared into the distance at Hyrule Castle, wishing Link luck for what was coming. 

\----

Despite Daruk’s protests, Yunobo escorted him up the mountain. He had returned only a few days ago and he already was trying to push himself. Yunobo wouldn’t allow it, grabbing onto Daruk’s new Zora prosthetic as they trudged up the mountain. He knew he needed to do this, but the young Goron did not want Daruk to push himself too hard. The Goron Champion was short of breath, taking many stops to allow himself a quick rest. He coughed, malice dripping onto his lips. Yunobo stared at him in fear before Daruk smiled at him, wiping his lips. 

“Don’ worry, kid, I’ll be a’okay.”

Yunobo didn’t believe him. 

Daruk needed help climbing into Rudania. The Divine Beast had parked at such an odd angle, Yunobo was confused how Link and Daruk got inside in the first place. But-- after almost dropping into the lava pit below -- they made it inside. 

The Divine Beast powered up as they entered the control unit room, glowing blue through the cracks. Daruk cracked his knuckles, messing with the controls until the beast shook. Yunobo had to grip onto Daruk to not fall, the Champion standing straight as he could in the state he was in. He coughed again, malice pooling from his mouth. He attempted to wipe it away but Rudania erupted, the two Gorons being flung back away from the control unit. It knocked the wind out of Yunobo. He wheezed hard. He searched the beast to find where Daruk rolled. The Champion was already back on his feet, but the look in his eyes was everything but the usual friendliness they held. 

His eyes glowed gold as his prosthetic bubbled, the malice underneath ripping it from Daruk’s shoulder. It hit the ground with a  _ clank! _ as a newly formed arm thick with Ganon’s essence grew in its place. It was heavy, dragging behind Daruk’s body as the rest of his body was consumed by the substance. The rest of his once white hair faded to red. His jaw hung loose. His breaths came out as gasps as he struggled to breathe, the malice filling his lungs. Then a roar. He gripped onto his hair with his left arm, screaming in terror and pain. Yunobo backed away. He held onto his chain, his protection activating promptly. Daruk’s head snapped towards him. The Champion ran towards him, pounding onto the force field with such force, it shook the younger Goron inside. He curled into a ball and closed his eyes, listening to the force field cracking under Daruk’s strength. 

Daruk froze. 

Yunobo peaked his eyes open to see Daruk staring off into the distance, his tiny uneven legs dragging his bloated body off the mountain before rolling into a ball as he made his way towards the castle. The young Goron cried softly, wishing for Link’s safety. 

\----

Urbosa stood tall as she spoke to the Gerudo Chief, but her movements were stiff. The once calloused hands that had the soft nurturing touch of a mother now clawed everything they felt with their sharp nails, even with the gentlest movement. Urbosa kept her arms crossed, hands tucked. The lightning bolt scar that infected her face with malice had blinded one eye, permanently preventing it from opening. Her remaining eye was cold as the desert nights, but they were wide. Goosebumps littered her remaining skin. It was time. 

Riju knew they should have taken sand seals to cross the desert to Naboris, but she was patient. If she could use as much time as she could to spend with her great aunt, she would. Even if her feet sunk into the deep sand. Even if the cold desert breeze froze her body. She would stay with Urbosa as long as she could. 

She was careful, however. Guards trailed them far in the distance. They both knew. But they did not speak of it. Instead, she let Urbosa speak of their shared distant history to fill the silence of the sands. It’s as if nature itself knew. She would lose another loved one tonight, and there was absolutely nothing they could do to prevent it.

The Gerudo Champion was quick to maneuver Naboris, leading the way for Riju while also leaving a trail for the guards behind them. Riju took in the walls of the beast. Such an odd material, she wondered if it could be found in the modern-day. But hearing Urbosa’s heels stop clicking freed her from her thoughts. She was messing with the control unit of the beast. Riju stared at the vein shaped malice that trailed up and down her back. It was moving faster than before. She gripped the small dagger hidden underneath her sand seal skirt. She needed to stay alert. It would be any moment now. One distraction and she could be killed. She need not let that happen.

The tremors of Naboris threw her off guard, however. Urbosa wrapped her arms around the Chief, holding her close as the beast fired at the castle. Riju wished she could stay safe in her great aunt’s arms, that she hadn’t noticed the hold on her tightened. She struggled to free herself from Urbosa’s grip. The Champion grabbed her arm, the malice on her palms burning the young Gerudo. She screamed in pain. She could hear the sizzling of her skin underneath the malice. In a panic, she swung her dagger at Urbosa, landing a slash across her face. She quickly stepped back as guards ran into the room, surrounding their Chief. 

Urbosa’s back stood straight. She looked no different physically, yet the calm motherly aura she omitted was no longer there. The corruption formed long sharp nails at the ends of her fingernails. The malice veins pumped across her skin. She glared at the guards with her one golden eye, the slit pupil darting to each one of them. She shot forward, knocking one guard off her feet as she clawed at her neck with such speed, Riju had barely time to blink. The guard screamed, grabbing her neck as she attempted to stop the bleeding. The rest hesitated. Riju knew they did not want to fight their legendary Champion. But they stood in formation around their Chief and injured guard, ready to defend them. Urbosa screeched. She jumped high, disappearing onto the roof of the Divine Beast. Riju listened to the heels clicking on the roof until...they were gone. 

If Urbosa was heading to the castle, then so were the rest of the champions. Riju closed her eyes.  _ Link _ , she thought, gripping onto her chest tightly _ , be safe.  _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i'm sorry :') part 2
> 
> don't forget to comment and leave a kudos if you, uh, enjoyed haha


	13. Chapter 13

Link could feel his body wanting to shut down. His knees threatened to buckle, his sword slipped from his hands as he fell into the grass, taking a deep breath. His horse, his sweetest Epona, nudged him. He scratched her mane, a soft whinny escaping her mouth.

It was  _ over _ . 

With the final arrow striking Dark Beast Ganon, the monster roared. Link had watched as a beam of light flew from its core, before the monster itself exploded into a ray of light. The only evidence that the fight had happened was the giant singed footprints that covered Hyrule Field. The air smelled of rain as a soft drizzle put out the fires the beast had caused. He let the rain wash over his face, droplets cold against his skin as it washed away the muck; the taste of salt mixing with the taste of pristine bitterness in his mouth. Of course. He was crying. His mission was over. He would let himself have this. 

There was one problem, however.

Zelda was nowhere to be found. 

He expected her to be standing in the field, surrounded by the light that vanquished Ganon. At least, that’s how he pictured her. His memories of her were still a bit foggy, despite searching the land for his past. He didn’t know whether to expect a princess, a goddess, or a normal girl. But the last thing he expected was nothing at all. 

He sat up, scanning the field that lay in front of him. She couldn’t be dead, right? The light had been her...right? He punched his head lightly. First Revali leaves, and now Zelda? He wished someone, anyone would come for him now. He didn’t want to be alone anymore. The rain suddenly felt too much like the cold healing waters of the Shrine of Resurrection, the feeling of waking up from a long slumber with no memory, only a single voice telling him to wake up. He felt his head spin. He had  _ won _ . Why was it, then, that his brain was punishing him at that very moment? It didn’t feel like a victory at all. He almost wished there was some kind of parade waiting for him, even if he hated festivities. Anything to stop the loneliness from creeping in. 

He rubbed his eyes. Maybe procrastinating his mental breakdown would be best for now. 

As his eyes refocused, he saw a small figure in the far distance. He couldn’t make out details, but the figure looked as if it were a pitch-black silhouette. He stood up, squinting his eyes to try to get a better look at it. He let out a soft gasp. 

The silhouette looked like Revali. 

He felt the tears return to his eyes as he ran through the field, splashing puddles onto himself. The rain could not slow him down, not now. His body protested against him running, wanting to once against buckle underneath him. But the adrenaline of seeing the Champion filled his heart as he approached—

He stopped. 

This...thing had Revali’s shape. His stance, his silhouette. But...it couldn’t be him. The beast was consumed by the malice, its skin moving against it. Link felt his stomach turn as he noticed the four golden slit eyes that littered its face, each darting around (he assumed) to take in its surroundings. But one huge eye, similar to the ones that had been in Ganon’s core, sat in the middle of its chest. That one...was glaring at him. The air chilled around him as the creature strode towards him, and the grass sizzled where it walked, smoke filling the air with each passing step. Nature died around it, just like it had with Dark Beast Ganon. Trees had barren, flowers wilted, grass browned, as the malice spread from the large beast. And it was happening again here. 

He thought he had won! Ganon was gone! Where had this creature come from—  _ oh. _

He examined the creature again, taking steps away as he did. Despite the new additions to his body, it  _ was _ Revali. The corruption. It must have consumed him during Link’s battle with the scourge. But...but it didn’t make sense. He should have healed when Ganon was defeated!  _ Is that not how that worked?! _

He cursed Hylia. She never made things easy, huh? 

Though he had been backing away, the monster’s strides outpaced his. It wasn’t long until it was in his face. He could see malice dripping from its beak. There was no other explanation. This had to be Revali.

Link signed the Rito’s name. All four eyes focused onto him, his hands, as they moved. He lowered his hands slowly, watching how the eyes followed his movements. They shot back up, staring straight through Link. The beak opened slow, revealing an unnatural row of teeth lining the inside. Maybe...maybe he recognized Link? 

It screeched in his face, the sound so high pitched it threatened to destroy his hearing. He covered his ears, they rang in his head as he buckled over in pain. A claw grabbed the back of his shirt, raising him high into the air. He saw the beak of the creature moving, but he couldn’t hear what it was trying to say over the ringing. Was it even speaking, though? Link couldn’t tell. He could only squirm in the creature’s grip as it held him. Its arm reeled back before slamming Link into the ground. It knocked the air out of his lungs. He could feel blood and bile rise into his throat as the creature once again raised him. He reached for his sword and-- oh. He had left it with Epona. But he couldn’t just let this monster get another attack in. He shook, gripping onto its arm, squeezing tightly. It  _ burned _ but the creature’s grip loosened enough for him to kick away. He was dropped hard, but he relied on adrenaline as he ran for his life. 

He couldn’t run fast enough. He was tripping over his boots, puddles, every obstacle in his way. He looked behind him to see...it was merely walking towards him. It knew it could catch him, it was only a matter of  _ when _ . LInk panicked, feeling his legs weaken as he ran. He couldn’t do it. He fell, somersaulting forward until he was face first in a puddle. He choked on water, the burning sensation of it in his nostrils distracted him from the sound of sizzling grass behind him. His leg was grabbed, dragging him backward. He screamed, gripping onto the grass, hoping to catch on something. Blood and dirt filled his fingernails as he continued to claw at the ground, eventually kicking his legs in a panic. He dug in his pockets for something,  _ anything _ , and his fingers grazed a bokoblin horn. He yanked it out, stabbing the creature’s hand hard. It screeched as it let him go, the horn lodged into its hand as Link stood up quickly. He made a mental note to apologize to Revali later. 

He ran,  _ finally, _ to Epona, grabbing his sword from the dirt. She whinnied at him softly, before whinnying nervously as she ran from Revali soaring across the field towards him. He was knocked to the ground, but his sword managed to block a claw from entering his jugular. He threw Revali off of him, backing away with his sword outstretched. He stared at the creature. He couldn’t hurt Revali. He knew he was in there somewhere. He had to be. 

“Revali, please…” he whispered, his sword trembling in his hands. The creature froze, its head twitching to each side. Link relaxed. Revali had heard him...maybe he could reach him--

The creature lunged at him. Its claws dug into his chest, shredding his tunic as if it was paper. Blood started to bead as he stammered back, clutching onto the remaining cloth. The creature fell to all fours, unnatural chirps escaping its beak as it circled him. Link raised his sword up to its head, ready to defend himself when he heard a distant screech. Revali stopped, raising its body onto two legs as it screeched in response. 

Link’s heart sank as he realized what was happening. The monster in front of him was calling to the other champions. 

Three new forms rushed from the trees towards him. One was faster than the others, disappearing into the air as it ran. He could hear the  _ woosh  _ of the monster as it closed in on him, not unlike Thunderblight. The long red hair of the blight barely holding onto a ponytail told him...it had to be Urbosa. It punched him in his gut, sending him tumbling through the grass. He laid there, curled into a ball. 

Link knew he could fight them. He had fought blights before, he killed Ganon, he could do it again. But he  _ knew _ them. He may not have had all of his memories, but these… things were once his friends. Link couldn’t hurt them. 

“ _Please don’t make me hurt them,_ ” he pleaded silently. “ _Please!_ ”

He was dragged once more through the grass. He went limp as he was lifted into the air by his leg. The creature that looked like Mipha had a horrifying twisted smile on its face, needle teeth leaving no gaps. She toyed with Link, swinging him around in the air like a ragdoll before tossing him to the side. He couldn’t keep this up. He had to do something, anything, or he would die here by their hands. He grabbed the Sheikah Slate, switching through his runes as fast as he could, and noticed Daruk’s large arm looming over him. Stasis activated at the last minute, freezing the Goron’s large fist over Link’s head. He quickly moved out of the way, knowing it would only be seconds until the frozen fist slammed into the ground with enough force to leave a crater. He gulped hard after the impact; watching Daruk shake the dirt off his giant malice arm. If he were any slower he would’ve been crushed in an instant. 

Link decided running would be the best decision until he thought of a way to defend himself  _ without _ hurting the malice-covered husks of his former friends. He darted towards the ruins of Castle Town; the screeching of the champions ringing in his ears. He tripped over himself as he heard Urbosa right behind him, narrowly missing him with her claw. He turned towards her, her face full of rage. He was so close to the gates that he let his guard down. A long arm whipped his feet, sending him flying onto the pavement. He slid across the stone, skinning his exposed arms. He swiveled his head to see Revali standing over him, Mipha close behind. The monster that was once his friend snarled in his face, malice dripping onto his chest. Link struggled to wipe it away as he dragged himself against the stone, and Revali approached him like a feral animal on all fours. He couldn’t keep going. His body fell back as Revali crouched over him, a wicked smile appearing on his beak. If Link were to die, he was glad it was at least by Revali’s hand. He closed his eyes and accepted his fate. 

An ear-piercing scream escaped from Revali once again. Link’s eyes shot open to see Revali on the ground, screaming and squirming in pain. His chest had smoke rising from it as he clawed at the malice. He started towards Revali, but a hand caught his shoulder. 

“Are you okay?” A soft voice whispered to him, “you look like you really took a beating.”

The girl from his memories. Zelda. She smiled at him, clutching to a bow in her hand, the same bow he had used against Ganon. Her white goddess dress was covered in dirt and grime, shattering any illusion that she was a perfect being, and Link sighed in relief despite himself. He turned to Revali, who continued to scream. He crawled over to him, cradling him as he screamed. The malice on his chest was burning away slowly, the remaining material scalding Link’s arms, but he didn’t care. He held the Rito, resting his head on his chest. He could feel the monster’s arms wanting to attack but were too weak to move. He glanced at Zelda, his face twisting with guilt. She frowned. 

“I’m sorry,” she whispered. He didn’t know whether to believe it was genuine or not. She winced as his face shadowed, glaring at her. “I wanted to protect you and--” 

The monster that was once Mipha approached them, low to the ground, interrupting Zelda’s apology. She snarled yet her movements were hesitant. Link watched as she ignored him to make her way towards Zelda, perking up to look at the princess. The two stared at each other. Zelda smiled sadly as Mipha growled at her, lifting a long arm to attack. Zelda grabbed her arm, wincing at the pain. The monster  _ screamed.  _ Light glowed from the princess’s hand as she squeezed Mipha’s arm, malice melting away. It squirmed in Zelda’s touch, pulling its arm to escape, but her grip tightened as light surrounded them until it formed a dome around the four. Urbosa and Daruk screamed from the outside of it, pounding hard on it. It refused to break. 

“My sweet rose…” Zelda murmured, pulling Mipha’s now limp body into her arms. The malice disappeared, crawling back into the scar that sat in the middle of her chest until there was nothing left. It sealed itself, new scales replacing the once charcoal-colored scar. Oh. She wasn't hurting them, she was healing them. The Zora princess had been healed right before his eyes, yet he was in shock. He watched as Zelda cradled Mipha into her arms, whispering something as she rocked them. The Zora’s hand rested on Zelda’s face, causing the princess to gasp. 

“Princess,” Mipha croaked, “I’m sorry.”

Zelda let out a soft laugh, “It’s been a hundred years, and the first thing you want to do is apologize?”

Mipha nodded, leaning into Zelda’s chest. The princess sighed, pulling the Zora closer to her. Link looked back down to Revali. He had finally stopped screaming, his breaths coming out as wheezes. He waved at Zelda. She nodded. She stood up, carrying Mipha in her arms. She held out her hand and the dome of light expanded, pulling Urbosa and Daruk inside. The two champions screamed, falling to their knees as the malice burned off of their skin. Revali’s eyes opened as the malice burned off, his eyes back to their emerald green. He winced. Link held him close. The Rito let out soft painful gasps as the rest of his body was healed. His body went limp in Link’s arms. Link panicked, shaking him violently until the Rito squawked at him. 

“I’m not dead, you idiot!” He yelled, smacking at Link. The screaming of Daruk and Urbosa finally stopped as their bodies went limp against the stone as well. Link lifted Revali up, carrying him over to check on Daruk. The Goron’s malice arm was done, back to the small nub that was on his shoulder. Link sat down, Revali in lap, as he poked at Daruk’s body. He groaned, shaking his head. He glanced at Link. A dumb smile crossed his face as he gave the Hylian a thumbs-up. Zelda came to join them, carrying Mipha in her arms. She checked Urbosa over, seeing if any malice was left. The Gerud warrior groaned as she sat up, tracing the scar that remained on her body. Only now, they were normal scars now, no longer plagued with malice. 

Link smiled. He rested his head against Revali’s back, listening to his soft breathing, his heartbeat, everything that made him  _ him. _ The Rito leaned back, nibbling on Link’s ears lightly. He laughed, holding onto Revali tighter. Exhaustion took over him as he fell back, pulling Revali with him, the Rito squawking as he fell. The rest of the champions laughed as Revali struggled to escape Link’s hold, even if he secretly never wanted to leave. 

  
_ Now _ it was all over. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you so much to everyone who made it this far! i can't believe this started as just a simple side project into a whole fic! stay tuned though, you're going to get something like an epilogue for next week :)


	14. Chapter 14

He hated mornings. Revali’s eyes were glued tightly shut as the sun blinded him. Being back in Rito Village was such a relief, nostalgia warming his chest, but he did not miss the open windows. He rocked in his hammock, causing the Hylian holding him to groan. These weren’t exactly the best for two people cuddling, but they made do. Of course, today was not a day they could sleep in. They had an important meeting to attend to. 

Revali took his wing off of Link, letting the cold air hit his bare chest. This man was lucky he could sleep shirtless while they shared a bed, but that also meant he could be messed with. Seeing Revali’s own feathery chest couldn’t protect Link by itself. The Hylian attempted to roll gracefully out of the hammock but fell hard onto the floor with a thud. Revali rolled his eyes. Great, now Link was going to be cold  _ and _ bruised. But the man was fine, only shivering slightly as he laid on the floor. Revali merely stepped over him to reach his clothes. 

It didn’t take long for Revali to get dressed. His everyday outfit reminded him that he should talk to Zelda about receiving a new Champion's scarf from her. The title in this new Hyrule may not mean anything, but it could serve as a nice reminder that he did  _ something _ besides attempt to kill Link and doom Hyrule forever. Revali's eye twitched in annoyance. It was too early for self-pity. 

“Would you hurry up and get dressed? Not only are the princesses waiting, but your paleness might blind me more than the morning sun.” 

Link stuck his tongue out, tripping over his Snowquill pants as he changed into something lighter. Central Hyrule was, arguably, nicer than the Tabantha region temperature-wise. Revali knew Link preferred it but would rather risk hypothermia to stay with his partner. It’s not that Revali minded...even if Link’s shivering body woke him up some nights.  _ What an idiot _ .

“Do you need me to fly us there?” Revali asked as he leaned against the door frame, tapping his foot as Link got dressed. Link shook his head, he gestured to his Sheikah Slate and hovered his finger over “Central Tower”.

“You mean to tell me you knew you could do that?”

Link nodded.

“And we  _ walked _ all through Hyrule?”

Another nod.

“ _ Why _ ?” 

Link smiled, pulling his Champion’s tunic over his head, “I wanted to spend time with you.” 

Revali rolled his eyes. Sometimes he couldn’t stand the sickly sweetness of this man, even if he secretly loved it.

\----

Zelda had called it an important meeting. Revali would have called it a  _ picnic _ . 

They met Zelda and Mipha in the spot Zelda had described, where Link had been knighted, but in the place of fancy clothing Revali had imagined...there was only a large blanket in the grass. The princesses were laying down, gazing up into the sky. Revali could hear them whispering about something, presumably the shape of a cloud as Mipha pointed at one, causing Zelda to giggle. He cleared his throat and Mipha shot up, her eyes wide. Zelda sighed, rolling onto her side into a lazy position, staring at them with a bored expression. 

“I shouldn’t have told you that this was important, you showed up so fast.” She said, her voice monotone. Mipha giggled, shoving her lightly. 

“If you had done that, Revali would not have shown up!” 

“You know me so well, Mipha,” he said, smirking. He nudged Mipha’s small body, the princesses scooting over in response, he and Link laid down next to them. The clouds above were especially fluffy that morning, a large animal-shaped one blocking out the sun. It kind of looked like…

“A horse.” He mumbled. He felt Link’s eyes on him and he pointed to the cloud, repeating himself. Revali glanced at him to see his big goofy smile. The Rito rolled his eyes. 

_ Dragon _ . Link signed, pointing to one particularly long, narrow cloud in the sky. Revali wouldn’t have said dragon however...perhaps a worm would be a better description. It looped around itself as if it were dried and left out on a stone pavement, nothing graceful as a dragon. But he simply kept his mouth shut, nodding in agreement. 

“Pardon me for being so blunt, princess, but you didn’t call an important meeting just for us to cloud gaze, did you?” Revali said, sitting up to raise an eyebrow at Zelda. Mipha glanced between the two of them, both Champions watching as Zelda’s eye twitched slightly in annoyance. 

“Why must you be so impatient, Revali? We're waiting for Daruk and Urbosa.” 

“I don’t have all day, princess.” he, in fact, did have a free day. But he wanted to spend it with Link before being reminded of their duties to the kingdom. He had no issue knowing what was needed of him, but a few simple days off after being possessed would be nice. 

“I’m sure a few more minutes wouldn’t kill you,” she said. She sat up in time to see Urbosa heading up the hill with Daruk, the Goron leaning on her slightly for support. His prosthetic has been replaced in the past week, a new one made of ancient material courtesy of Robbie in Akkala, but it was clear it would take more time to adjust to than the flimsy Zora one. Urbosa carried with her a sword at her side, but also a small basket. Revali’s first thought of this being more like a picnic haunted him. 

“Sorry to keep ya waitin’, tiny princess! Body’s still havin’ a time recovering,” Daruk said as he fell onto the blanket. Urbosa sat next to him, pushing the basket to the center of the six of them. 

“I brought lunch for everyone,” Urbosa said, carefully pulling small containers out from the basket and handing one to each of them. Revali popped his open and a sweet smell filled his senses. A small radish shaped heart was floating on top of a creamy soup, small green, and red fruit floating around it. It smelled delicious and it made Revali’s stomach growl. However--

“You carried soup across an entire desert?” He sneered. She smacked his beak gently, earning a quiet “ow” from him. 

“Hush, boy. This soup is said to bring others closer together, I thought it would be appropriate for us Champions to have a meal to celebrate our proper return.” 

“It smells delicious, Urbosa, thank you!” Mipha said as she took a small sip from her bowl. A small soup mustache was on her lip, and Zelda moved to wipe it off. Revali rolled his eyes, looking at Link to see the Hylian had already gulped most of his own. Apparently, they weren’t allowed to do anything cute like Zelda and Mipha, Link was too much of a glutton. 

“Now that  _ everyone _ is here,” Zelda said, pausing to glare at Revali, “we may discuss what our plans for the future will be.” 

Link shyly raised his hand. Everyone looked at him, Revali raising an eyebrow. He glanced at his hands, then spoke. 

“We are...going to rebuild it, right?” 

Zelda smiled softly. “Yes. I wanted to work with every race across Hyrule in order to restore this kingdom as…” she hesitated, meeting everyone’s eye. “...As queen.”

Revali could see a small hint of fear in her dark green eyes, but was dashed away before anyone could say anything. He smirked. This kingdom was small, maybe only a sliver of its former glory. But it wouldn’t be for long. 

“My father is already willing to provide for you any help you may need with ruling the kingdom,” Mipha said. 

“I have already spoken with Riju. She has given her word that the Gerudo will assist in any way they can” Urbosa spoke, her eyes shining with pride for the young chief

Daruk scratched his head, “Uh...was I supposed to talk to the boss?”

Revali frowned. He...hadn’t spoken with Kaneli yet. He had been distracted by Link, the damned Hylian won’t let him be. Not that he minded but--

“If we were supposed to speak with them, perhaps  _ someone _ should have made it clear.” He said, glancing at Zelda. She merely rolled her eyes.

“Alright alright,” Urbosa said. She held up her hand to the both of them, “Let’s focus on the task at hand.”  Revali smiled. A true, genuine smile. He was  _ happy. _ Almost an odd feeling after the past months, but happy nonetheless. As Zelda spoke of their plans, the Rito wrapped his wing around Link, pulling him close. He hummed in content, running fingers through Revali’s feathers. He knew this would not be an easy task. It would be  _ years  _ before Hyrule was fully restored. But as he held Link and watched the others chat about their plans, maybe rebuilding wouldn’t be so bad. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh my god, it's finally done! thank you so much to everyone who read this story! i appreciate every single one of you omg ;u; i hope to see everyone in the future as i have plans for other fics in the future :D

**Works inspired by this one:**

  * [AI-Generated Revalink](https://archiveofourown.org/works/27692852) by [Yesserect](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Yesserect/pseuds/Yesserect)




End file.
